Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 21, 2004.
Logistics problems can’t hinder our success, says
Customs boss
Stories by Muyiwa
Dare
Maritime
Reporter,
Lagos
The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS), Mr. Jacob Buba Gyang, has said that logistics problems cannot
deter his team from achieving success in its anti-smuggling struggle.
Gyang stated this in Lagos in an interview
with newsmen, adding that although the logistics available to the service were
not encouraging, but assured that the government was favourably disposed to
looking into the case of the customs, regarding the problem.
He threatened to deal with fraudulent
businessmen or government officials, who sabotage the economic efforts of the
country through importation or exportation, saying that his team’s
searchlight would be beamed on the nation’s air and seaports to ensure
that smuggling activities subside.
He said the recent seizure of 300
containers of scrap metals, about to be smuggled out of the country, was a
testimony to the determination of the service to wage war against economic
saboteurs. The NCS had, last week,
impounded about 300 containers of scrap metals and wood, which the owners
wanted to export. The comptroller general described the seizure as the largest
single one in the history of the customs service, adding that the attempt was
contrary to the export prohibition order.
The containers were found at Lagos/Niger
and WASA/Cross Marine (SDV) terminals. While 248 of them contained scrap
metals, 52 contained teak wood.
Buba, however, disclosed that besides the
customs officers involved, who were suspended, the terminal managers of the two
shipping companies involved have also been arrested and are currently
undergoing interrogation. He
reiterated that the licences of the forwarding companies would be revoked in
addition to the imposition of appropriate sanctions and penalties.
According to the CG, 52 containers with
scrap metals and teak wood and antiquities were seized at Maerskline terminal
in Port Harcourt last April.
He said the negative effects of the criminal activities go
beyond the monetary losses of over N450 million, but also mislead export
statistics.
