During the inspection of an imported container from the United States, the Nigeria Customs Service’s Port Harcourt Area II Command in Onne made a significant discovery. They found a concealed pistol and 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition among household items inside the container. The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Baba Imam, unveiled this shocking revelation during a press conference on November 3, 2023.
“In a thorough examination on October 26, 2023, of an imported container from the United States, which had been declared to contain household goods and a used vehicle, we uncovered a pistol and 100 rounds of ammunition,” Comptroller Imam stated. He acknowledged the Customs Intelligence Unit’s invaluable role in this discovery and announced the arrest of two suspects associated with the illegal shipment. The suspects will soon be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and prosecution.
Furthermore, Comptroller Imam highlighted that the Command had impounded nine containers for violating import prohibition laws, containing 724 bales of used clothing, 1805 used tires, four vehicles concealing 76.9kg of special cannabis (marijuana), 2070 cartons of tomato paste, 1578 cartons of Barcadin Cough syrup with codeine (100ml), and various other items. The total duty paid value of these seizures amounts to ₦1,162,424,371.00.
In the realm of revenue generation, the Area Command achieved remarkable success, collecting a total of ₦246,025,872,903.80 from January 2023 to October 2023. This represents a substantial increase of ₦44,145,889,008.65 compared to the previous year’s collections. Notably, the Command surpassed its October revenue target, amassing over ₦38 billion for the month alone, exceeding its monthly goal of ₦28 billion by over ₦10 billion.
Comptroller Imam emphasized that the Command’s primary goal is not just to impound containers or seize contraband goods but to uphold the nation’s laws and serve as a deterrent to potential offenders. He urged the public to cooperate with government agencies dedicated to promoting social justice, stability, and peace in society. Furthermore, he assured that the Customs, particularly under the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adebiyi MFR, maintains a strict stance against smuggling and is highly motivated to combat it, with unwavering support, logistics, and incentives from the leadership.
