The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over fake 1.2 million dollar notes and five cryptocurrency machines to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), MMIA, Charles Orbih, said this during the handing over of items seized between January and April to the appropriate authorities in Lagos on Thursday.
Orbih said that the handing over of the seized items were in line with the directive of the Comptroller-General of the NCS, Bashir Adeniyi.
“The command also handed over 148 pieces of Unmanned Area Vehicles (UAVs) also known as drones, 112 military hardwares and accessories, two bullet proof helmets and two Army vests to the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army in Lagos.
“The counterfeited foreign currencies were handed over to the EFCC’s assistant commander, Oguzi Moses.
“Also, the UAVs and other military hardwares are handed over to the General Officer commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Muhammad Usman.”
According to him, the importers of the UAVs could not provide an End-User Certificate (EUC) from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He further explained that one of the UAVs could be in the air for 72 hours consecutively and be equipped with arms and ammunition.
“Virtually all the drones are abandoned while drones above 250 gramms are to come with EUCs and whenever we ask for the certificate, they abandon the UAVs, based on the directive of the Comptroller General of Customs and in order to foster interagency cooperation and collaboration.
“The command shall hand over some of the seized items which include drones and other military wares to the Nigerian Army, counterfeited U.S. dollar notes and crypto currency machines to the EFCC,” Orbih stated.
Speaking on the achievements of the Command, Comptroller Orbih stated that the command generated N19 billion revenue between January and April this year.
According to him, the seizures represents a 67 per cent increase in collections against what was recorded in the preceding year of 2023.
“In line with the NCS, mandate of revenue collection, revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, trade facilitation and national security, the officers and men of the command under my watch, remained resolute and dedicated in ensuring the blockage of revenue leakages.
“The command also ensured facilitation of legitimate trade through a combined effort in compliance with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs.
“The Command generated N19 billion between January and April 2024. This represents 42 per cent collection of the annual revenue target given to the command for the year 2024 and 67 per cent increase in collection against the preceding year of 2023.
“In our continued effort to block revenue leakages, the Command made some seizures and detention of the following items; Precious Stones such as Zinc; Lithium; Copper Stones/sand; 120 pieces of SIM cards.
“The command seized four drones with a duty paid value of N7.8 million; one wooden giraffe statue and five bulletproof jackets with a DPV of N1.25 million,” Orbih said.
Speaking after receiving the UAVs and other military hardwares, the GOC, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Muhammed Usman, said the gesture further strengthened the inter-agency collaboration between Customs and the Nigerian Army.
Usman commended Comptroller Orbih for his excellent effort and also commended the good leadership of the customs Comptroller-General, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who sent him to receive these items.
He said that they would hand over the drones to experts in the Army, adding that they would intensify efforts to know more of what damage it could cause if they were in the wrong hands.
“If it can be equipped with ammunition and can be in the air for three days, then it was brought in for a mischievous purpose.
” However, this will foster relationship between the two organisations and we are happy these equipment are in the hand of the authorities, not criminals,” Usman said.
