The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted raw materials used in the production of improvised explosive devices and other contraband goods at its “Zone C’’ between July 25 and Sept. 23.
The zone covers the six states in the South-South geopolitical zone and the five states in the Southeast geopolitical zone.
Major explosive device intercepted was “Superpower 90’’, Acting Comptroller of Customs in the Zone, Mr Kayode Kolade, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs, said in Benin on Monday.
Superpower 90 is a cap sensitive emulsion explosive having superior rock crushing capability designed for tunnel blasting and all kinds of underground and aboveground blasting operations.
Kolade expressed worry at the smuggling of explosives into a country grappled with insecurity challenges.
He called on smugglers of explosives to desist in the interest of humanity or face the full wrath of the law.
“We all know the security implications if these explosive components get to their destination unchecked.
“Superpower 90 is designed for priming applications and also used as a column explosive in surface and underground mining and general blasting.
“The high detonation velocity and the robust nature of Superpower 90 make it an ideal primer for the initiation of column charge.
“The disaster that could be caused if dynamites and landmines are detonated using these items is better imagined,’’ he said.
The NCS also arrested nine suspects linked with the seizures during the period, Kolade said.
It put duty payable on the seizure of the contraband items at N1.59 billion and demand notices raised based on infractions at N54.24 million.
Kolade listed intercepted contraband as an armoured bullion van, 417 sacks of Indian hemp weighing 9,194kg and 627 compressed parcels of the same weed, weighing 1kg each.
Others were 1,329 (50kg) bags of foreign parboiled rice and five cartons of codeine-based cough syrup.
Also seized were 761 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing; 883 cartons of unregistered or expired medicaments, including tramadol, 100 cartons of wines, and 5,737 pieces of used tyres.
Customs also seized 335 cartons of foreign tomato paste and 300 cartons of foreign spaghetti during the period, Kolade said.
“The armoured bullion van without customs documents and End User Certificate was intercepted on the Okada-Benin Expressway, while the wines and tomato pastes were intercepted on Ewu-Ibilo Road in Edo.
“The rice was intercepted at the Calabar/Akwa Ibom axis and on Okada-Benin Expressway while the 417 sacks and 627 parcels of Indian hemp were intercepted on Okada-Benin and Ewu-Auchi Expressways, respectively.
“The bales of used clothing were concealed in trucks and buses and were intercepted on the Umeikaa-Aba Road and on Okada-Benin road.
“The cough syrup with codeine and unregistered medicaments were intercepted on the Benin-Onitsha Expressway.
“The used tyres were intercepted at Cross River waterside area and on the Okada-Benin Expressway,’’ he added.
Kolade called on the media to join the Customs Service in the advocacy campaign against smuggling as it had deleterious effect on the nation’s economy.
“All well-meaning Nigerians should support the service with necessary information that could assist in nipping smuggling in the bud in the interest of our fatherland,’’ he stressed.
The comptroller warned all economic saboteurs that plan to use the last quarter of the year for nefarious activities to have a rethink as the Customs Service would ensure they count losses.
“No amount of distraction will stop us from carrying out our statutory responsibilities; not even the attacks we encountered in September,’’ Kolade assured.
