Customs seizes N1b worth of pangolin scales, takes steps to stem revenue loss
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Customs officers in Lagos have seized N1 billion worth of contraband in October and November, including 376.4 kilograms of pangolin scales,1010 x 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice, 40 kilograms of cannabis also called Indian hemp.
Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Strike Force Team A Coordinator Mohammed Yusuf said the items also include 100 cartons of red wine, 58 bales of used clothing, and 35 units of 25 litre jerry cans of petrol.
“Two suspects were arrested in connection with some Customs offences during the period under review, both of them were released on administrative bail,” he disclosed.
“In our efforts to prevent revenue loss through undervaluation, underpayments, and wrong classification, N537.9 million was collected following the issuance of Demand Notices (D/Ns) to defaulters.”
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Pangolins trade ban
“May I remind you that a ban was imposed on the international trade of pangolins and their parts in the 2016 convention held in Flora, South Africa under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Yusuf added, per Vanguard.
“Some species of animals are conserved from going into extinction, hence pangolins, among other animals, have been subjected to exploitation, which has continued till date but little is known about their natural history, and status that must be conserved.
“Campaigns and sensitisation on the poaching of pangolins must be intensified since it plays a dominant role on the ecosystem, thereby protecting the forest from termites and other insect from destructions.”
Customs fires 2,000 officers in 7 years over corruption
Up to 2,000 officers have been fired from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and prosecuted since 2015 for engaging in corruption and other illegal activities, NCS Controller General Hameed Ali disclosed in Abuja in October
He said the NCS generated N2.14 trillion revenue in 2022 which fell short of projected N3.02 trillion because the government is yet to commence the collection of telecommunications tax.
Ali warned the public to be wary of rogue Customs officers and avoid being scammed.
The fight by the Custom against smuggling has evolved, he stressed, necessitating the procurement of additional aircraft to intercept smuggling across the borders in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force.
Ali also warned that imported rice is unfit for consumption and dangerous to human health because it is preserved with chemicals that have a short lifespan.
This is why Customs officers regularly seize such items from the market to safeguard the health of Nigerians, he explained.
He added the seized bags of rice are distributed to internally displaced person (IDP) camps and the needy after certification by the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
