…Seizes N68 million worth of frozen products, others at Lagos airport
The recent decision of Nigeria Customs |Services (NCS) to unbundle its Area command at Murtala Muhammed Airport, (MMA), Lagos to passenger and cargo commands, has brought about better synergy and operational efficiency and has not promoted he divisions which smugglers could exploit to carry out their illegal businesses at the the airport.
This remark made known by the two Controllers of the two Commands in
the airport during a media gathering jointly addressed by the controllers of the two commands in the Lagos airport.
Giving accounts of successful operations jointly carried out by the
two commands on November 10 and 11, 2019, leading to arrests and seizures at the airport the Controller of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command (MMIAC) Comptroller Wale Adeniyi and his counterpart at Murtala Muhammed Airport Command MMAC, (Cargo section) Comptroller Lena Oyama (Mrs) said the two commands have through collaborations, improved on surveillance in the airport environment resulting in seizures of goods illegally imported into the country
According to the controllers, the consignment seized at the airport
included a huge number of frozen products, drones, stun guns,elephant tusks,
military camouflage wears.
Adeniyi said the frozen products were seized because they are
prohibited items. He added that the drones, military uniforms where
seized because the importers don’t have the licence to
import such sensitive goods.
He therefore warned smugglers who thought they have gotten the option
of using Murtrala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos as the
alternative gateway to carry out their criminal activities as the land
borders remain closed, to resist the temptation.
“During a joint operations on November 10, 2019 tarmac operatives from the commands intercepted a 40 carton consignment indicated and
described as perishables fresh vegetables on the airway bill which
further investigations revealed that the consignment was full of
assorted frozen products which included beef, pork, and fish fillets,’
Adeniyi said.
On the seizures, he said, “the importers through their agents had
prepared pre-release documentation purporting the imports to be fresh
vegetables with the sole intention to evade the import prohibition order.
He added, “on the second day at about 5.00hours another consignment of
104 cartons comprising pork meat, beef, and turkey was seen abandoned
inside for dollies close to gate 13
According to him, “the total duty paid value of the two seizures stood
at N68,850,000.( Sixty Eight million, eight hundred and fifty thousand naira only”.
He explained, “the tarmac seizure came on the heels of other seizures
recently made at the cargo wing of the airport”,
“This clearly pointed to a possible shift of strategy by smugglers .
with the border drill making it a nightmare for smuggling operations
at the borders, intelligence has suggested that our airports are now
being considered as option. Our messages therefore is that we stand
solidly and firrmly with united front to prevent the MMIA to be used
as conduit for security or economic sabotage,” he said.
Adeniyi during his maiden press appearance as the Controller, Murtala
Muhammed international Airport, Lagos, said the two commands are
connected in their operations.
He added, ”since the tarmac in the international wing services the
cargo operations in the cargo command, it is therefore important for
the the two of them to to create a close working environment to ensure
that smugglers don’t exploit divisions to perpetrate their business”.
He said the close working relationship among the officials of the two
commands has nurtured a smooth take off of the new command.
To ensure an effective coverage of the tarmac, he said, the commands
conduct joint surveillance of the tarmac Area resulting in seizures
of the items.
In her statement, Oyama who declared the two commands have demonstrated the readiness to truncate activities of smugglers at the airport diclosed that the two commands have arrested and seized goods ranging from drones, elephant tusks, military camouflages, stun guns among other
For the months of August, September and October 2019, she disclosed
“the cargo command, recorded seventeen detentions and seizures
with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N85,205,139.73. Below are the details of the summary Eight one (81) packets of different makes of drones, 47 pieces of mini dive camera eye wear recorders, 25 units of walkie talkie, 25packets of Stun Guns, Twp packages containing 20 pieces pf military camouflage, two pieces of military amour vests, police jackets and one piece of elephant tusk”
