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Customs Marine Command Nabs Three Suspects

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The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested three suspects in connection to over a total of 1,658 loaves of Cannabis Sativa, weighing 788 kilogrammes intercepted by its operatives to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Speaking at a handing over ceremony and courtesy visit of the new Marine Commander, NDLEA, DNC Emmanuel Morrison, at the commands headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa Lagos, Customs Area Controller, Western Marine Command, Comptroller Kayode Bamisaiye, disclosed that the three suspects will be handed over to NDLEA officials for onward prosecution.
The arrests and seizures, he said, took place at Ijegun Waterside, Bar Beach, and Ekare Beach front in November 2024, adding that the actions were in direct enforcement of Section 233 of the NCS Act 2023.
Bamisaiye noted that “The seized Cannabis Sativa, illicit pharmaceutical products, and arrested suspects will be handed over to the NDLEA and National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
The Customs boss reiterated that the total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all the seized items is ¦ 182,196,000 and total weight of Cannabis Sativa is 788 Kilogrammes.
Bamisaiye noted that Customs and NDLEA have continued to work in synergy for decades, adding that the seized items include cannabis and pharmaceutical products.
On the 21st of November, 2024 , the Customs top brass affirmed that the Command also seized 295 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice and some seven bags of 50kg refined granulated foreign sugar at “Point of No Return” in Badagry and Panko Ere waterfronts.
He said, “Again, the Command today will be handing over 386 bottles of 300ml codeine syrup, confiscated along the Yekeme/Joforo waterways, to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) which is in line with the recent understanding reached at the last CGC Conference in Abuja.
“Additionally, the Command intercepted 900 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) which has been disposed in line with extant laws”.
Bamisaiye warned that the Western Marine Command will not hesitate to take decisive action against any individual or group attempting to undermine the government’s trade restrictions or fiscal policies.
“ The inordinate quest by citizens to get rich by any means fuels the menace of smuggling. Citizens must understand that smuggling is injurious to our economy and smuggling of hard drugs has even more devastating effect on our health and the economy.
“The Command under my watch is poised more than ever to rid our waterways of all acts of smuggling and economic saboteurs for the benefit of the growth of the economy of Nigeria”.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic,Lagos

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Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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4 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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The leadership of Bonny Maritime Boat Association has called on Rivers state Government and oil companies operating in the state to provide sustainable employment to unemployed boat Operators.
The Association also want the government, companies and other relevant employers of labour to provide trainings for boat Operators to enhance their skills
Safety Officer of the Association, Comrade Kingdom Kingsley made this known in  a  telephone interview with  The Tide.
He noted that most of the boat Operators and owners plying Bonny route lacks jobs due to the fleets of boats introduced by Bonny Road Transport that had taken over the passengers to the Island
He noted that passengers are no longer patronizing boats owned by the Association, thereby rendering the operators redundant
“Most of our operators can not afford to feed their families due to no jobs, we don’t want to indulge in crime, government should fix our members with  sustainable jobs to take care of their immediate needs”
He called on oil companies operating in the state to engage their skilled boat Operators in their companies to reduce the sufferings faced by the Association.
The Safety Officer called on the state government  to made funds available to unemployed youths in the state to start up business than roam the streets.
He noted that provision of funds to youths would reduce crime rates and reposition their mindsets for a better life
“The  youths of Rivers state are suffering, have no job to feed their families, thereby indulging in criminality daily”
“The youths need empowerment,  jobs,  recreational facilities and better things of life as citizens of this Nation”, Kingsley said.
CHINEDU WOSU
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FG Approves $1 Bn AFCFTA Credit Facility For Nigerian Exporters

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4 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this  during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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4 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
 NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
 Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said  the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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