…CAC says it’s no longer business as usual
Apparently disturbed by the level of insecurity in the country and as measures to ensure that its not caught unawares, the Tincan Island command of the Nigeria Custom Service has said that it is ready to embark on random patrol and arrest of unwanted persons that are constantly loitering around the Tincan port.
The command has also revealed that it has set up a security committee to embark on the raids any moment from now and that it has gotten backing from the customs headquarters which has donated vehicles for this purpose.
Shipping Position Daily correspondent who visited the command yesterday noticed that the atmosphere at the command was tense as the Customs Area Controller; Mr. Tajudeen Olanrewaju himself quarried freight forwarders trying to gain entrance into the command.
The command has also insinuated that it may discountenance the biometric identification of freight forwarding associations if the bearers do not have genuine custom documents or a genuine reason to be inside the port at the time.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting which held at the command yesterday, the CAC at Tincan port, Mr. Tajudeen Olanrewaju expressed concerns about the frequent crowds at the port gate and consequently warned that it will no longer be business as usual.
He said that the customs have also concluded arrangements with the courts in order to ensure speedy conviction of anybody arrested.
"We have spoken with the police and the port manager, we cannot afford the crowds at the port again, what we are doing is to start a patrol, headquarters has given us a vehicle which we will use to patrol, this process will lead to as many raids as possible"
"We are determined to change the port within the time that we are here, we will encourage trade facilitation for those who are compliant, and we want to ensure that we enhance revenue, we must enhance security"
He further assured stakeholders that the issue of camp boys will be addressed and that the hostile environment at the Tincan port will be looked into.
The CAC said that the command will no longer accept general accusations and that stakeholder should endeavor to pick officer's name tags who they feel have been unruly.
Speaking earlier, some stakeholders present at the meeting, especially freight forwarders had lamented the hostile attitude of custom officers at the command and that they do not report for duty on time.
The terminal operators had also complained that the customs are the major cause of the overwhelming crowd inside the port due to their attitude of making use of camp boys.
The security committee is expected to comprise the Nigerian police, the Nigeria custom and the terminal operators.
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