…..As Clearing Agents Allege Extortion, Threaten To Invite EFCC
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service last week announced that it has seized 843 assorted items with duty paid value (DPV) of about N545Million between January and June , even as the command’s area controller, Mr Emmanuel Kane added that it had similarly lost five of its officers.
Giving an insight into the command’s performances, Mr Kane said the seized items included: textile materials, used tires, vegetable oils, several bags of rice, used clothing, used shoes, used motorcycles, vehicles and other sundry items.
His disclosure however coincided with a threat last week by licensed customs agents that they were going to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the activities of personnel of FOU as well as the Comptroller General of Customs’ Quick Intervention Squad for allegedly intercepting containers that have already been cleared and released at the ports for the purpose of allegedly extorting money from the owners.
Chairman of Tin Can Island port chapter of the Association of Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Kayode Farinto who confirmed the move in an exclusive interview with our correspondent stated that licensed customs agents “have decided to petition the EFFC so as to bring the perpetrators to book”.
But Kane told reporters last week in Lagos that others seizures that were recorded by his men included: office furniture, cosmetics, beverages, eight units of used vehicles, used trucks and one trailer load of Guinness beer. He however stated that the duty paid value of these items were yet to be computed, just as he added that so far, about N127million has been collected as underpayments and fees.
Farinto told Shipping Position Weekly that about 90 percent of the goods that are leaving the ports legitimately are being stopped on the way by men of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service and the CG’s Quick Intervention Squad.
“I have taken the time to compile the names of these officers and I want to put a letter to the EFCC to send their intelligence officers to come and witness the menace of men of customs along our highways about 100 metres to our ports because whatever happen between Mile 2 (on Apapa Oshodi expressway) and this place (Tin Can port) is still within the ports area.”
But apparently aware of the allegations, the FOU area controller explained that those opposed to its operations lack understanding of customs operations. “There have been questions, allegations and controversies regarding our activities and operations in and around the zone. These quarries and attacks are coming from supposed stakeholders, members of the public and even some of our friends from the media. This somehow is borne out of lack of understanding”.
He attributed the activities of personnel of the command to the various inadequacies in the cargo clearance procedures. “For instance, when you hear about some compelling inadequacies in areas of the scanning system as it concerns arms and ammunitions, you will equally agree that the physical checks are not just important, but very needful” he explained.
But Farinto argued that the new clearance procedure is very easy. “You generate your assessment, make your payment, release is triggered and the good is released”, even as he accused FOU personnel who are always on the road of extortion.
According o him, there are two task forces on the road between Tin Can and Mile 2. He alleged further that “goods that have been genuinely released from our ports by superior officers at the port are now being intercepted few metres from the port”.
Comptroller Kane however maintained that he would not relent, adding: “I will fight them to the last minute before I exit out of this job, they should expect hard times, when I up my activities in the area, revenue in the ports has started growing, we had about N6billion two weeks back and last week it jumped to N11billion, more seizures will be made and we will be less sympathetic”.
Discussion about this post