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Tag: Customs

  • Custom officers shot, injure 8-month pregnant woman in Ogun

    There was pandemonium on Thursday at the Iyana Iyesi, Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State as operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service reportedly shot and injured a pregnant woman identified as Bukola Olugunna.

    Olugunna, who is carrying an eight-month pregnancy, was allegedly shot by the NCS Operatives attached to the Federal Operation Unit, Ikeja, around 7.45am while on her way to the office.

    She is a member of staff of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

    This incident was happening less than 24 hours after Customs operatives allegedly killed one person and injured three others on Wednesday at Abule Egba, in Lagos while in pursuit of the vehicle believed to be conveying smuggled bags of rice.

    An eyewitness said the woman was hit by stray bullets on her back and the left side of her body.

    He explained that the woman was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, he, however, said he could not ascertain whether the woman survived the gunshot wounds or not.

    The source, further, hinted that the customs officials who shot the pregnant woman were later arrested by policemen attached to Onipanu Divisional headquarters, Ota, and were later taken to Sango police station.

    When contacted, the spokesman of Customs FOU, Ikeja, Jerry Attah, said he was yet to confirm the incident.

    The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Customs Area Command, Abdullahi Maiwada, confirmed the incident but said the woman was only ‘brushed by stray bullets’ and not hit.

    He said Customs operatives were on the trail of a suspected smuggled vehicle and not rice as claimed, hen they were mobbed by some ‘unpatriotic members of the public.’

    He said, “The officers were on a trail of a suspected smuggled vehicle and in the process, they were mobbed by some unpatriotic members of the public.

    “The officers were left with no option than to shoot repeatedly into the air, and in the process, the said woman was brushed by a stray bullet.

    “The Customs officers were in police station for safety to avoid mob attack not the insinuation that they were arrested by the police.

  • Nigerian Customs set to retire 577 senior officers

    The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is set to retire 577 of its high ranking officers.

    This was revealed in a circular signed and released Sulaiman M.S.J, Comptroller Establishments, on behalf of the Comptroller General, Hameed Ali.

    According to a circular titled ‘CIRCULAR NO/HRD/2017/003-LIST OF OFFICERS/MEN FOR STATUTORY RETIREMENT IN YEAR 2018’, those listed included a Deputy Comptroller General, an Assistant Comptroller General, 11 Comptrollers, 27 Deputy Comptrollers, 27 Assistant Comptrollers and 23 Chief Superintendents of Customs.

    Last week, the service National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, in a statement released the names of promoted and redeployed officers.

    Amongst those promoted in acting capacity were Isa Talatu Mairo to Deputy Comptroller-General Tariff and Trade; Amajam Bukar, Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone C, elevated to the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General, Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection; and David Elisha Chikan as ACG (Human Resources and Development).

    “The CGC charged the affected officers to see their appointments and as opportunities to contribute their best towards consolidating the gains of the ongoing reforms in the Service,” Mr. Attah said.

    Other rank and file officers listed on the retirement notice include five Chief Inspector of Customs Terminal (CIC T); 21 Chief Inspector of Customs (CIC); 21 Superintendent of Customs (SC); 36 Deputy Chief Inspector of Customs (DCIC); 23 Deputy Comptrollers (DCs); 121 Assistant Chief Inspector of Customs (ACIC); four ACIC1; 131 Deputy Inspector of Customs (DIC); and one Assistant Superintendent of Customs 11.

    Others are 83 Senior Inspector of Customs (SIC); two Chief Customs Assistant (CCA ‘T’); 18 Inspector of Customs (IC); six CC; three Assistant Inspector of Customs; two Senior Customs Assistant (SCA); and one Customs Assistant (CA).

    The affected officers are to be disengaged either on the basis of mandatory 60 years of age or 35 years in service, in line with the civil service rules.

    According to the NCS, those affected are expected to furnish the headquarters with their notice of retirement on or before the end of March this year. The management also insisted that all those due for retirement must proceed on the mandatory three months pre-retirement leave, starting March 2018.

    The retirement circular reads in part, “I am directed to forward the attached list on the above subject as a Pre-Retirement notice to all affected officers, adding “all affected officers due for retirement in 2018 are to disengage from active service and proceed on three-months pre-retirement leave, three months to the effective date of retirement.

    “All affected officers are to ensure compliance and forward their three months pre-retirement notice to the Comptroller General of Customs accordingly.

    “Any observed error, omission or legitimate complaints should be forwarded to the office of the Comptroller General of Customs on or before 31st March, 2018.”

  • Updated: Fire guts 20 vehicles, several bags of rice at Customs warehouse in Lagos [Photos]

    Updated: Fire guts 20 vehicles, several bags of rice at Customs warehouse in Lagos [Photos]

    A warehouse belonging to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A was yesterday razed by fire.

    20 vehicles, consisting of six articulated vehicles, 12 cars and two minibuses, and a fully loaded truck with seized foreign parboiled rice at the NCS’ warehouse were affected in the inferno

    The intervention of firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service and men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency was said to have curtailed the spread of the fire.
    The exact cause of the fire, which started around 2pm, could not be ascertained as of press time, as there were conflicting accounts of what started it.

    While authorities at the customs service said the fire started after the gas cylinder of an impounded truck exploded, one of the emergency workers said it was caused by bush burning.

    The fire was said to have quickly spread to vehicles in the warehouse before the firefighters intervened.

    The spokesperson for the NCS, FOU Ikeja, Jerry Attah, said three vehicles were burnt, adding that no life was lost or injury sustained.

    He said, “A section of the constructed annex warehouse was gutted by fire. It is not our main warehouse. There were two trucks that had been there for a long time. The trucks had gas cylinders which usually come with them. The fact that they had been there for a long time, coupled with the heat of the season, made one of them to explode. When it exploded, the fire spread. But we called in the state fire service and LASEMA. The fire was put out at 3pm. Only one truck and two cars were burnt.”

    However, one of the emergency workers at the scene said the fire started due to bush burning activities around the place where the vehicles were parked.

    He said, “We discovered that some people were burning bush around the warehouse and that was what started the inferno. No life was lost and no injury sustained.”

    The Director of the state fire service, Rasak Fadipe, said the agency deployed three water trucks from the Alausa, Ikeja and Ilupeju fire stations.

    He said, “When we received the alert, we activated our emergency response plan and deployed firefighters in the scene. We had seen the fire from our office and with the support of our sister agency, LASEMA, we did not allow the fire to go beyond where we met it.

    “The fire, however, destroyed six articulated vehicles, 12 cars and two minibuses. There were many vehicles in the warehouse. We worked tirelessly to prevent the fire from spreading to other vehicles. If not for our prompt response, the damage would have been more.”

    The General Manager of LASEMA, Adeshina Tiamiyu, said the agency’s officials joined in putting out the fire, adding that 18 vehicles – 12 cars and six trucks – were gutted by fire.

    Tiamiyu noted that LASEMA would work with the customs service to investigate the cause of the fire to forestall a recurrence.

    [Photos] Vehicles, bags of rice destroyed as fire guts Customs warehouse in Lagos

  • [Photos] Vehicles, bags of rice destroyed as fire guts Customs warehouse in Lagos

    [Photos] Vehicles, bags of rice destroyed as fire guts Customs warehouse in Lagos

    A warehouse belonging to the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A was on Thursday gutted by fire in Lagos.

    The warehouse which was filled with seized vehicles and foreign parboiled rice was destroyed by the fire which occurred about noon.

    According to an eyewitness, the fire razed substantial part of the warehouse destroying six trucks, 15 cars/vans and a fully loaded truck with seized foreign parboiled rice.

    The eyewitness also disclosed that goods worth several millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno.

    But speaking to newsmen, the Deputy Head, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaki Musibau, said the fire started from a burst cylinder stored under one of the burnt vehicles.

    Details later…

  • Nigeria Customs makes history; generates N1trn in 2017

    The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has recorded its highest revenue collection ever of over N1 trillion as against N770 billion target set for 2017.

    The NCS Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, announced this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

    According to him, the revenue realised this year is a historic figure ever made in the NCS.

    “NCS has recorded the highest revenue collection ever of N1,012,259,006,779.74 with five more working days to the end of 2017.

    “This spectacular performance in revenue collection shows N241,685,276,289.74 over the N770,573,730,490 target for the year and well above the N898,673,857,431.07 collected in 2016.

    “(This is) Despite the economic recession experienced earlier in the year, with low volume of imports and restriction placed on 41 items from accessing Forex.

    “The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), retired Col. Hameed Ali, undertook some strategic measures in terms of restructuring and repositioning the service for efficient service delivery which resulted in this historic revenue figure from the service this year,” Attah said.

    He said that for the CGC to achieve this feat, took some measures like strategic redeployment of officers, restraining of the operatives of Customs Intelligence Unit were done, among others.

    Mr. Attah said that the NCS strived to deliver, adding that sometimes even at the risk of sustaining serious injuries or even death.

    “Sadly in the process of enforcing the laws, six officers fell in the line of duty this year,’’ the spokesman said.

    He said that the Customs boss had directed sustained onslaught against smugglers, especially at this festive period.

    Mr. Attah, however, said that in the spirit of the season, all stakeholders were enjoined to reflect on the value of patriotism and resolved to avoid all forms of smuggling.

    “It is clear that given the right leadership and better support from Nigerians, NCS will continue to play a more pivotal role in the security and economic well-being of the nation,” he said.

     

    (NAN)

  • Interpreting Hameed Ali’s interpretation of Buhari government – Godwin Etakibuebu

    By Godwin Etakibuebu

    Retired Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali was appointed Comptroller General [CG] of the Nigerian Customs Services on August 27, 2015, by President Muhammadu Buhari, without any career experience in the Customs and Excise. He was purely a military man, having been appointed by the late Head of State; General Sani Abacha, as Governor of Kaduna State [being the peak of his military career] from August 1996 to August 1998.

    Of course, Colonel Ali, born in January 15, 1955, would have known his superior officer; General Buhari, for a long time but facts emanating from the grapevine pointed out that there was an establishment of intimate relationship between the two when the former served as Governor of Kaduna State. It was reported that he subserviently “served out the interests” of his retired “Oga” very dedicatedly. It must have be the cord of relationship built and sincerely maintained overtime that resulted into the appointment of CG for Hameed Ali.

    Whichever way the relationship started, one thing for sure is that both men are particularly very close. They share the same value and both understand themselves in all facets of human endeavours. By the way, let it be pointed out that Colonel Hameed Ali holds a Bachelor and Master degree in Criminology. That makes him an egghead which must have increased Buhari’s respect for him. In addition to this academic laurel, the man is said to be very audacious in pursuance of his set goals. Finally, it is agreed that he shared almost the same level of religious “enthusiasm and sentiment” with the President.

    The conclusion in this preamble is to prove the fact that both men are confidants in most things of life – political views/endeavours inclusive. It is therefore on this template that retired Colonel Hameed Ali’s evaluation of President Buhari government, last week, should be given further thorough examination for some reasons. In the first place, the man took identifiable risk by assessing the performances of his boss, in all ramifications, within a given period of time.

    It is not acceptable way of life in the Civil Service, Public Service or the Military for a junior to write the “Annual Performances Assessment Report” [APAR] of a senior. This is more a “forbidden fruit” in the military, where deferment to order of hierarchy is a matter of life and death. Yet, this is exactly what this usually blunt retired colonel did last week in Abuja at the commissioning of the office complex of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), in his capacity as the National Coordinator of the organization.

    Listen to what he said: “But let me say here without fear of being contradicted that I think half way through the journey, we are losing our core values. We are losing our vision and mission and I think that the idea of our being here today is to look critically at what we need to do to get back on track. “There is no doubt that we have derailed because we are not doing what we say we want to do. Why is it so?” he asked. He continued, by saying “we need to find an answer to that. If we do find an answer, then what should we do to get us all back on track? We owe this great nation and the 180 million Nigerians the duty to give good governance. Good governance is what they voted for and good governance is what they expect to get and they deserve that”.

    The man deserves to be appreciated for his candid opinion/observation presented lucidly on the uncommon table of audacity. In writing his boss’ assessment report, which itself is a suicide mission sort of a thing, he put it very clearly by saying “we are losing our vision and mission and I think that the idea of our being here today is to look critically at what we need to do to get back on track”. How many people would be able to conclude with the boldness of admitting that “there is no doubt that we have derailed because we are not doing what we say we want to do?” What he said in pure, plain and simple language is that President Buhari and his government has derailed for the path of true governance.

    Though his claim in identifying the People Democratic Party [PDP] “members in the APC as responsible for the derailment of the President” better be seen against the background of military mischief than any actual political accuracy in exhibition of wisdom, his revelation nevertheless is all our “derailing president” needs to come back on track of good governance. And that is if he is willing to get things right. The Nigerian Customs Services Comptroller General has done his little bit in helping a falling friend finding his standing equilibrium.

    By so boldly pronouncing, the Colonel has joined the gang of two other people in the entire APC ruling Party that wished the President to succeed. First was Aisha Buhari; the president’s wife, who blew whistle against massive corruption in the Villa very recently, but had earlier said that if the husband continued in this path [now defined as derailment path] she might not be campaigning for him in 2019. The second is this very vibrant Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Senate, who has always shouted that Buhari government “is missing it”. Can we give kudos to the three Musketeers and pray that the President listens to them and do what is right?

    Will President Buhari listen to this gospel truth, coming from his own committed friend? I have my doubts. I have my fears. I have my cogent reasons for entertaining both doubts and fear. I may be wrong though, but, again, I doubt it because of how much dependent Muhammadu Buhari is on the Abubakar Malamis, Abdulrahman Bello Dambazaus and Abba Kyaris of the Nigerian Animal Kingdom.

    Godwin Etakibuebu, a veteran journalist, wrote from Lagos.

  • No doubt! Buhari’s change agenda has derailed- Customs boss, Hameed Ali

    Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), has said that the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been derailed because it failed to fulfilled its promises to Nigerians.

    Ali said this at the unveiling of an ultra-modern Buhari Support Organisation office complex in Jabi, Abuja, on Friday.

    The BSO is the umbrella body of all pro-Buhari support groups that articulated and coordinated the President’s 2015 presidential campaigns.

    The customs boss said the challenge ahead of 2019 elections was bigger than that of 2015.

    He said the event was designed to rekindle “what we started in 2015 and what we used as a vehicle to fight in the trenches, out of the trenches, along routes and in so many different terrains to see to the success of vision and mission.”

    Ali recalled that in the pursuit of the vision, so many lost their jobs and businesses in a bid to bring the change required for a better Nigeria. He noted that some started the journey (with Buhari) in 2003, others in 2007, 2011 and others joined in 2015.

    The customs boss said, “Let me say here without fear of being contradicted that I think halfway through the journey, we are losing our core values. We are losing our vision and mission and I think that the idea of our being here today is to look critically at what we need to do to get back on track.

    “There is no doubt that we have derailed because we are not doing what we say we want to do. Why is it so? We need to find an answer to that. If we do find an answer; then, what should we do to get us all back on track? We owe this great nation and the 180 million Nigerians the duty to give good governance.

    “Good governance is what they voted for and good governance is what they expect to get and they deserve that. We, therefore, as BSO, have a great task ahead of us. My dear comrades, the battle and the job start now.

    “We have won one battle by taking over power. But what we make of this power is essential to us and to humanity. Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to tell my colleagues here that we have to change the narrative. When we were out there working and jumping on the streets and reaching every corner, we were shouting change, change for a better Nigeria.

    “Now, the keyword is good governance for Nigerians. We must agree that we cannot finish our four years without delivering and leaving something to be remembered for in this country for a long time to come. We have no problem with our President because he is on course.”

    He re-echoed sentiments earlier expressed by the Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, that, “We have been infused by people who were not part of this journey and these people are the ones that call the shots today. That is why we are derailing.”

    Ali said “We are the ones that will be asked to account for what happened. Are we willing to face Nigerians and tell them that we have failed? I think this is the time for us to come together, create a system that is very robust enough to fight back and take back government in our hands and ensure that we deliver.

    “I will, therefore, ask my colleagues of the BSO to go back to the study room. This is a commission, but it is also the beginning of the fight for good governance. We must get back to the trenches, draw our own battle plan and battle line. I enjoin you to have the same commitment we had in 2015; I implore you to bear with us and commit yourself to a better future for Nigeria.

    “We will be calling on you from now on and we will be working day and night. We must do so because we want to save our name at the end of the day and the name of the President for what he is doing.”

    Ali was addressing a gathering of most of the President’s most visible supporters including the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, his counterparts from Bauchi and Plateau states, Mohammed Abubakar and Simon Lalong respectively.

  • Buhari, Customs boss set for Turkey over arms smmugling

    President Muhammadu Buhari and the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) are billed to travel to Turkey for a bilateral meeting with the authorities of Turkish Customs Service.

    According to Deputy Comptroller-General, Aminu Dangaladima, the meeting’s aim is to put an end to the importation of deadly weapons from Turkey.

    It will be recalled that the service last month announced the seizure of 2,671 pump action rifles illegally imported from Turkey into Nigeria.

    Owing to the seizure, Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Halal. Cakil, vowed on September 26 that his country would fish out the brains behind the shipping of illegal arms into Nigeria.

    Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, Dangaladima said: “Let me seize this opportunity to impromptu you that we are making progress on investigation into the illegal arms importation.

    “More arrests have been made and the CGC will be on the entourage of Mr. President to Turkey for sideline bilateral meeting with the Turkish customs authorities.

    “This is with the aim of permanently putting an end to such deadly importations from Turkey.”

    He revealed that on October 10, the NCS operatives seized 27 Toyota Hilux pick-up vehicles worth N432 million.

    His words: “On Wednesday 10th October, 2017, based on credible intelligence, operatives of the NCS Compliance Team went to two open car stands along Kubwa Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory and evacuated 27 Toyota Hilux pick-up vehicles suspected to be smuggled into the country. These vehicles have estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N432 million.”

    He urged the owners of the vehicles to come forward with valid Customs clearance documents, otherwise they will be liable to seizure and subsequent forfeiture to the federal government in line with the laws of the land.

    Dangaladima recalled that last month, Ali, while briefing the media on the interception of exotic vehicles, 18 of which were bullet proof, said that the service under his leadership would enforce the powers given in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) effectively.

    He said that being in possession of smuggled items is an offences under Section 3 of Customs and Excise Act Cap 47 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.

  • Customs generates N1.9bn in 9months, seizes 3, 278 bags of rice, 55 vehicles

    The Niger Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, says it generated N1.9 billion from January to September.

    The Area Controller, Mr Benjamin Binga, told newsmen on Tuesday in Minna that the command also seized 3, 278 bags of rice and 55 vehicles with Duty Paid Value of N52.6 million and 51.6 million respectively during the period.

    According to him, the command, made up of Niger, Kogi and Kwara states, will meet its 2017 revenue target of N2.8 billion by the end of the year.

    The controller stressed that customs personnel would continue to mount surveillance and adopt measures to make smuggling impossible in the area.

    “The command has deployed competent officers to manage all identified illegal routes used by smugglers to bring in unwholesome goods into the country,” Binga said.

    He solicited for the support of community leaders in the three states to assist customs field officers with vital information on the movement of smugglers.

     

    NAN