Customs intercepts 18 assorted vehicles, Pangolin shells, elephant tusks others

Following the resolve of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja to completely eradicate smuggling of all shades, the Zone has intercepted another 18 assorted vehicles, 55 sacks of Pangolin shell and other items all valued at over N1. 35 billion.

The Controller of the Zone, Comptroller Mohammed Uba who disclosed this during a press briefing on Wednesday stated that the seizures were made based on intelligence.

He also revealed that 17 suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizures.

Uba said some of vehicles were intercepted at a car mart in Ikoyiable to intercept various contraband with a Duty Paid Value of N1,035,232,046.13 only.

The seized items include 18 assorted vehicles, 4,201 bags of foreign parboiled rice(that is about 7 trailers) 2,619 cartons of frozen poultry products, 1,105 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 2,637 pieces of used tyres, 1,333 bales of used clothing, 2,001kg of Pangolin, 343kg of Elephant Tusks among others.

The detained vehicles include 1 Rolls Royce, 1 Chrysler, 1 Audi Q7, 1 land Rover HSE, 1 Toyota Venza, 1 Ford Taurus, 1 Honda Cross tour, 4,Mercedes Benz, 3 Kia Rio, 1 Escalade, among others of various type ranging from 2008 to 2015 model. While some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, others were evacuated from a car mart located in Lekki.

Remarkably, within the month under review, the warehouse operations Team led by Assistant Comptroller Mutalib Sule while on intelligence raided an apartment at No. 38 Ogundana Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja Lagos and evacuated the following: 55 sacks of Pangolin shells weighing 2001kg valued at N408,319,317.6. 218 pieces of Elephant Tusk weighing 343kg and valued at N85,156,649.96.

You will recall that the responsibilities of the Nigerian Customs Service have undoubtedly increased tremendously overtime because of the implementation of different international protocols and conventions.The convention of international Trade in Endangered species (CITES 1973) entails that Customs Administration globally protects wild life by intercepting illegal trade on such animals. It further prevents the killings of endangered species since the tusks are only avaliable after the killing of the elephant and pangolin. In the spirit of interagency collaboration, the seized pangolin and tusks have been handed over to Nigeria Environment Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) for further investigation in collaboration towards protecting our natural habitat, which you all witnessed earlier.

For the avoidance of doubt, our action is in line with the provisions of sections 147 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 ( Power to search premises), section 158 of CEMA, Cap 45 laws of federation of Nigeria( power to patrol freely).

Also a 1 by 20ft container No. CAIU0961053 was seized for false declaration, which is tantamount to seizure. 17 suspects have been arrested in connection with these 90 seizures including Mr. KO Sin Ying a Chinese national.

Within the period under review, we have also recovered N67,945,158 from demand notices raised on goods intercepted while attempting to beat the system through transfer of value and under declaration making a cumulative of N1,103,177,204.

Let me thank the members of the media for your continued support to inform sensitize and educate the Nigerian populace.

We owe the nation a duty to deliver on our mandate and mainly ensure the environment is cleaner, healthier and safe for all and sundry. Part of the regulation we subscribe to internationally is the CITES convention under which regulations of items such as Pagolin or elephant are to be preserved at all time. These are animals that are approaching extinction and they are listed in schedule A of the CIFES convention and such animals should not be killed but conserved for posterity. We owe posterity a duty to ensure that these animals are not killed or taken arbitaririly. Trading on them or consumption is also prohibited. We ought to preserve them for generations to come and appreciate and see them. They should be conserved for posterity and to balance the ecosystem. This is why we are collaborating with agencies such as Customs to help us track down traffickers of such animals. We want the collaboration to be more robust. This products will be destroyed and the suspects prosecuted.