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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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72 Customs chiefs to be dismissed� Over attempted illegal export of 300 containers of scrap metalsBY FRANCIS EZEMNO fewer than 72 top officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) may be summarily dismissed over their role in the attempted illegal export of 300 containers of prohibited scrap metals estimated at N450 million at the Tin Can Island Port and the disappearance of seized contraband at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) shed, Ikeja. Customs Comptroller-General, Mr. Jacob Buba, who addressed newsmen in Lagos on Monday, said the officers who are of the ranks of Assistant-comptrollers and below, had been suspended, pending the outcome of investigations into the cases. According to him, the service would also descend heavily on two major multinational shipping companies, Maerskline and SDV who connived with the exporters to smuggle the containers out contrary to the Federal Government Export Prohibition list. It was gathered, however, that 248 containers of scrap metals and 52 containers of Teakwood, described by the service as the single largest seizure by the Customs were at the verge of being smuggled out before their interception and seizure. The containers, it was further gathered, were stacked at the Lagos-Niger Shipping Company Limited (LANSAL) and the SDV terminals at the Tin Can Island Port ready for export, before they were intercepted in June this year. Investigations, however, showed that 27 top officers were suspended in connection with the smuggling while the terminal managers of the shipping companies fingered in the deal had also been arrested and are currently being interrogated, even as the exporters and clearing agents were being identified for prosecution. It would be recalled that 52 containers consisting of scrap metals, Teakwood and antiquities were seized at the Maerskline terminal at Port Harcourt in April, this year at the point of loading. Maerskline had last September attempted to facilitate the smuggling of 28 containers of scrap metals worth millions of naira at Apapa. On the missing goods at NAHCO, Buba said of a total of 395 bales of textiles materials seized two months ago and handed to the management of NAHCO, 270 bales were accounted for by the handling company, leading to the arrest of 44 officers of the service and some NAHCO officials The customs boss noted that though some officers of the service culpable in the release of the affected goods, they did not follow the required processes, as the goods did not pass through the customs process centre (CPC), which is fraudulent. Tuesday, July 6, 2004 |
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