PTML Customs Rakes In N239bn, Impound Arms

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command says it collected a total of Two hundred and thirty nine billion, two hundred and thirty three million, five hundred and thirty thousand, two hundred and sixty five naira, forty-eighty kobo (N239,233,530,265.48) in revenue receipt between January and September 2024.

Handing and taking over of notes of seized item between Customs and NESTREA

This is even as the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Tenny Mankini Daniyan announced the seizure of arms and ammunition including 2 pistols, 260 ammunition, empty shells and cartridges of different brands and capacities.

A release by the Command Public Relations Officer, CSC Yakubu Mohammed but signed by Daniyan note that figure collected within the period under review is higher than the N185,785,030,025.47 collected within the corresponding period of 2023, which amounts to a 29 percent increase.

Some of tghe seized rice

On the Command’s anti smuggling activities, Daniyan said several other items were seized, including contraband and trade goods that ran foul to the prohibition order with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N28,478,034.76.

Giving a breakdown of the seized arms and ammunition, Daniyan listed the following: Twelve (12) rounds of 9mm Luger FC Blank ammunition and one (1) 9mm Luger live ammunitions extracted from one used MAZDA CX5; Ten (10) rounds of NIM FC 30-30 blank ammunitions, (2) rounds of 7.62mm x 39 AK hollow ammunitions, (3) rounds of WCC NIM Luger 9mm live ammunition and (4) rounds of C hollow ammunition extracted from one used TOYOTA TACOMA; Fifty (50) rounds of 76mm live cartridges and one hundred and nine (109) empty shells of 76mm, 70mm, and other calibres extracted from one used TOYOTA TACOMA; Fifty one (51) rounds of 12GA Winchester live cartridges extracted from one used LEXUS RX350;  and One (1) made in China SIGSAUER 1911 pistol with serial No: U03130962526 extracted from One used TOYOTA SIENNA.

It also includes One (1) Glock 22 Austria pistol with serial No: KNTO03 and (13) rounds of 9mm hollow ammunition extracted from one used TOYOTA TACOMA; and Five (5) rounds of 12GA live cartridges extracted from one used Toyota Tundra.

The CAC disclosed that a total of three (3) suspects who were detained in the respect of these seizures and have been granted administrative bail. The PTML Customs boss said the dangerous items will be handed over to the relevant authority as soon as approval is gotten is gotten from the service’s management.

Other items seized apart from the arms and ammunition include 2,598 pieces of used motor tyres; 6 pieces of used fridges; 8 pieces of used rug carpets; 2 pieces of used mattresses; 2 bags containing used clothes, shoes and bags; 56 bags of premium parboiled rice (45.4kg each); 18 bags of Rice land parboiled rice (22.68kg each); 15 bags of premium parboiled rice (11.34kg each); 20 bags of premium parboiled rice (4.5kg each); and 18 kegs of soybean vegetable oil (15.87kg each).

Speaking further on the seizures, Daniyan informed that a 1 x 40ft container with registration number ACLU9664782 containing some of the seizures has handed over to the Nigeria Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) as directed by the Comptroller General of Customs.

He said the command will continue to facilitate trade while keeping a keen eye on national security.

“An efficient and accessible dispute resolution committee has been strengthened and working harmoniously to regularly brief the Customs Area Controller with a view to quickly resolving all trade disputes. This committee contributed immensely to the success recorded during the period of nine months.

“I want to appeal to our compliant traders to always make sincere declarations, avoid smuggling and take advantage of the various products put in place by the CGC like Time Release Study (TRS), Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) programme and Advance Ruling (AR) to help facilitate trade

“Since my assumption of office, I have prioritised the command’s relationship with all our stakeholders by strengthening the existing cordial relationships sustained over the years. This is applicable to both government and private sector stakeholders. This is in line with concept of constant stakeholder engagement for maximum cooperation engendering peace, harmony and trade facilitation.”

Daniyan said that under his watch, stakeholders engagement remains top priority, noting that it has also supported the command tremendously in achieving its mandate.

“My interactions with importers, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders and terminal operators have contributed greatly to the harmonious operation you see in the command and we shall continually build on this to promote the overall objectives of the federal government.

“The constant engagement with our host PTML and Grimaldi management on the need to diversify their operations has resulted in their expansion to the far east by opening their office in shanghai -china. Currently goods -mainly RoRo vehicles are being shipped from china to Nigeria , this will subsequently result in increase revenue collection for NCS as time goes by.”

He continued: ” Our capacity to handle more RoRo cargoes is supported by the command’s track record of efficiency which has been severally demonstrated through timely clearance of automobiles and other cargoes.”