Customs To Create Enforcement Unit At Akanu Ibiam International Airport

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said it would create an enforcement unit at the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, as part of efforts to provide effective surveillance of the area.
The Comptroller, Enugu Area Command, Mr Abbas Mohammed, said this when the state House of Assembly Committee on Security visited him in Enugu on Monday.
Mohammed said the unit had become necessary due to the porous nature of the airport environment and its international status.

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said it would create an enforcement unit at the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, as part of efforts to provide effective surveillance of the area.
The Comptroller, Enugu Area Command, Mr Abbas Mohammed, said this when the state House of Assembly Committee on Security visited him in Enugu on Monday.
Mohammed said the unit had become necessary due to the porous nature of the airport environment and its international status.
He called on government to assist Customs by providing operational vehicles to enable the service to achieve its target.
According to him, some unscrupulous people may use the new international airport to import and export prohibited goods and items.
“Outside our custom duties, we do other security work, so we want to reach out to the media so that the people will be aware of the prohibition list.
“Our primary target is to ensure that prohibited items are not imported or exported through the Akanu-Ibiam Airport.
“If cargo begins to come into the airport, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), will come in with their balloon ware house and this requires 24 hours service to clear the cargoes,’’ he said.
Mohammed said the service was ready to work, noting that 20 officers had been posted to man the airport.
Abbas said that lack of adequate operational vehicles would stall the service from achieving its set target of surveillance of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi.
Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Mr Paul Ogbe, said the visit was to enable the house to know NCS level of preparedness in tackling the challenges that might arise.
He stressed the need for the service and other security agencies to beef-up security around the area to ensure that fake and substandard products were not imported through the airport.
Ogbe pledged the support of the lawmakers in partnering with security agencies to ensure that the state did not become a dumping ground for prohibited items.