ACG lauds Tin-Can Customs on ammunition seizure, charges them to uncover perpetrators

By ZION Olalekan        |       



Few days after the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigerian Customs Service intercepted 150 rounds of ammunition and some other dangerous weapons, the Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone A of the service, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Dalhat Aminu, has lauded the command for doing a good job.

In a congratulatory letter written to the Tin Can command last week by the ACG, a copy of which was sighted by our correspondent, Dahiru expressed satisfaction at the command for their diligence in carrying out their statutory responsibility, and also charged them  to ensure that importers of the ammunitions are brought to book in no distance time.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, Uche Ejesieme who was speaking with our correspondent, the ACG charged the Customs Area Controller in charge of Tin Can Island ports, Comptroller Musa Baba Abdullahi,  to ensure that the command establishes a case file in order to bring the perpetrators to book.

He also said the ACG has vowed to ensure that the importers of the illegal goods are brought to book to ensure that the appropriate sanctions are given to them even as he vowed that the command is not in a rush to disclose the names of the importers as investigation is still ongoing.

Recall that at the terminal C II (Ports & Cargo),  a 1 x 40ft container No. TGHU 60143419 which was scheduled for examination was found to contain live ammunitions and Jack Knife.

Following the discovery, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Compt. Musa Baba Abdullahi directed the transfer of the container to the Enforcement Unit of the Command where it was examined and found to contain 150 rounds of live ammunition and 28 pieces of various sizes of Jack Knives.

According to the statement, “These items contravene Schedule 4 absolute Prohibition List Items 17 of the Common External Tariff and Section 46 of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP C45 LFN 2004. In the same vein, the Command during routine tally operations, while vehicles were being discharged from a vessel MV Glovis Courage Voyage No. 036, at 0330hrs of 10th July, 2018, at Five Star Logistics terminal, a black bag was found in one unpacked Ford Edge with Chassis No. 2FMDK48C98BA05947. On examination, the bag was found to contain the following; 149 rounds of 38MM Calibre Live Ammunition, 92 rounds of 9MM Calibre Live Ammunition, 2 rounds of 7.62MM Calibre Live Ammunition, 11 Cartridges of Live Ammunition, 12 expended empty shells of various Calibres and one  empty Magazine. The vehicle and the exhibits are also currently detained at the Enforcement Unit of the Command pending further investigation

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