It is said that when the head of a fish is rotten, it affects the entire body and makes the fish unfit for consumption. And if the head of the fish is sound, it radiates health in the entire body and makes the fish appealing to consume.
The same analogy can go for the re-engineering taking place within the high command of the Nigeria Customs Service ably led by Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller General, (CG).
Appointed Comptroller General in October 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, Adeniyi who had grown through the ranks in the service came under the spotlight for the first time when he assumed headship of the Public Relation Division at the customs headquarters. Since then he has remained like the Golden fish that has no hiding place. Even at the global stage, the Customs CG is being celebrated as he currently wears the crown as the Chairman of World Customs Organization Council.
Though Adeniyi’s astute leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service is reverberating across all the customs commands in the country, stakeholders within the Eastern Ports are in agreement that the CG is a Daniel come to judgment particularly in the zone.
In recent times, the flagship of the Eastern port, the Onne Port at the Federal Lighter Terminal, (FLT) in Rivers State became a transit route for unpatriotic importers who smuggle contraband into the country.
But for the web of albatross mounted by the ingenuity of the Adeniyi led customs service at the Area 2 customs command, Onne, desperate and unpatriotic importers would have even compromised national security through the port.
A case in point was when 1 x 40 feet container bearing 840 units of assorted rifles and 112,500 live ammunitions were intercepted by the eagle eyed men of the Area 2 customs command.
According to the CG while displaying the weapons, he said the assorted rifles and live ammunitions were found hidden inside other contents of the container.
He gave breakdown of the arms and ammunition hidden in the container as, 746 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles, 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles, 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles, 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles and Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g-25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM).
The CG said, “The rifles and ammunitions were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings and leather bags. The duty-paid value of the container is Four billion, one hundred and seventy-one million, seven hundred and ten thousand naira (N4,171,710,000.00).
“In connection with this, we have three suspects in our custody after securing a detention warrant from a competent court of justice. Furthermore, a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all those involved face the full wrath of the law”
The Comptroller General further disclosed that another 8×40 foot container on transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne port was intercepted on 29 June, 2024. He gave the container numbers as, TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020, SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024 and MRSU3068928.
He said that six out of the eight containers were laden with 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml), 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5m g) with duty paid value of N9,600,000,000.00, adding that the remaining two containers were laden with 720 bales of used clothes with duty –paid value of N144,000,000.00.
On the whole, the CG said the total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers is N13,915,710,000.00.
He added, “In line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following decisions have been taken with respect to these containers: the 40-footer container of ‘evil’ bearing 844 units of assorted rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition is hereby seized, alongside the other contents previously highlighted
“The items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser for diligent investigation and ultimately rigorous prosecution
“The suspects arrested would be handed over to the Center for further processing. We will work diligently with other agencies of government to apprehend all other cohorts and Death Merchants involved in this Monkey business”
He continued. “The eight containers whose contents were wrongly declared to evade duty payment and Prohibition Order are hereby declared seized; the licenses and permits issued for the operation of all the warehouses and terminals as well as those of their Customs Agents involved in these cases are hereby suspended pending the determination of their involvement.
Yet in another development at the Area 2 customs command, Adeniyi regretted that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting the nation’s pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches through Onne port.
As a response to the ugly development, the CG said the Federal Government has declared a state of emergency in the port. “The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargoes through this port has necessitated the declaration of state of emergency in Onne Port”, the CG stated.
He recalled the recent seizure of a huge cache of arms at the port, stressing that, “Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens
“Today we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve (12) containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination”
The CG gave a breakdown of the seized items as: One (1) 40 feet container bearing 4,800 pairs of military/paramilitary camouflage rain boots and 67,320 pairs of various rubber footwear, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N923,040,000,
Three (3) 40 feet containers bearing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3, 150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a duty value of N4, 716, 573, 846.
Others are, three (3) 40 feet containers bearing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24, 480,000 tables of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a duty value of N17, 432,506,000.
The rest are five (5) 40 feet containers bearing 892,400 bottles of 100 ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items with a duty value of N8,128,568,295.90.
According to the CG, the total Duty Paid Value of the 12 seized containers amounts to N31, 200,688,142. He said the operation that led to the seizures is not only a testament to the Area 2 Command’s vigilance, but also to the effectiveness of the custom’s intelligence network and the “critical” partnerships with other security agencies.
He appealed to all citizens to assist the customs in its effort to rid the nation of the activities of smugglers. “We need your help in providing intelligence regarding those behind these nefarious acts and their intentions. Your information, no matter how small, could be the key to preventing a potential catastrophe”, the CG pleaded.
He said in furtherance to the state of emergency declared in the port, the custom would be conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers for the next three months, adding that if the owners do not come for examination, the containers would be opened to verify their contents. This he maintained is a temporary, but necessary measure to clean up the port and restore its integrity.
The Custom’s helmsman used the occasion to assure the business community at the port that the measure is not aimed at disrupting lawful trade, but to create a safer, more secure environment for genuine business activities to thrive.
“We will work to ensure that lawful shipments are processed as quickly and efficiently as possible during this period”, he said, and warned those who may be tempted to continue the illegal activities that the customs in collaboration with other security agencies would bring the full weight of the law upon them.
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Interestingly, the declaration of state of emergency at the port did not deter the desperate importers of contraband through the port.
Late last month, the CG was again at the Area 2 customs command to display another seizure by his men in the area.
This time the seized items were 16 containers, 11 of which contained assorted types of illicit hard drugs all valued at over N20billion.
At the scene, the CG explained that the illicit items were concealed beneath legitimate consumer goods, including chilly cutters and ceiling fans to exploit legitimate trade channels and evade regulatory scrutiny.
Providing details and break down of the seized items, the CG said, “The Command has successfully intercepted a total of sixteen (16) containers with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of Twenty Billion, Five Hundred and Forty nine Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-nine Thousand, Two Hundred Naira (₦20,549,998,200) as calculated in accordance with Service valuation protocols.
“Analysis of these seizures reveals sophisticated concealment tactics and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. Eleven (11) containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products: 1,301,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each); 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac.
“12,600,000 tablets of Royal Tapentadol/Tramadol (225mg each); 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol (5mg each); 210,000 tablets of Hyergra (200mg each); 17,360 tablets of Bisoveu g. 2,200,000 tablets of Bassuka (50mg each)
“The contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of Smart Tech vehicle parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream.”
The CGC said that the seized pharmaceutical products, if allowed entry in the country and the public, poses severe health risks including drug addiction.
“The potential impact of these illicit pharmaceuticals on public health and national security cannot be overstated. “Unregulated pharmaceutical products pose severe risks including drug addiction, compromised treatment outcomes, and the facilitation of organized criminal activities that threaten community safety and national stability,” he added.
Adeniyi said that the customs efforts are in line with President Bola Tinubu’s comprehensive approach to combating transnational organized crime and ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remain impenetrable to criminal enterprises seeking to compromise the country’s sovereignty.
The CG disclosed that the Nigeria Customs had since intensified intelligence-led enforcement across all commands, particularly focusing on high-risk corridors and ports of entry, to ensure that importation and exportation of contraband goods becomes a thing of the past.
“The Nigeria Customs Service maintains steadfast commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s policy objectives of securing our borders, protecting public health, and safeguarding national security.
While commending officers and men of the Port Harcourt Area II Command for their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty which has led to the successful interceptions, the CG particularly praised the gallantry of the Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Babandede for working along the policy objectives of the Nigeria Customs Service and leading a team of professionals who are dedicated to duty and achieving commendable results.
For the Comptroller General himself, the reward for a good work is more work. Hence the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently extended his service career for one more year, signaling a gesture of appreciation for his relentless war against recalcitrant importers and a tenure marked by massive revenue haul into the nation’s treasury.
