Ali Sets up Committee, As Customs Begin Investigation of Seized Third Party Cargoes

By ZION Olalekan

There are indications that the Customs Comptroller General, Col Hameed Ali has set up a committee to investigate some cargoes that were seized over the disparity in the names of the importer on the Single Goods Declaration (SGD) form and the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR)

In a circular obtained by Nigeriamaritime360.com dated 27th of February 2019 and signed by Controller of Enforcement, Compt Victor Dimka for the Comptroller General, the customs boss directed that all consignments affected be forwarded to the Office of Comptroller Enforcement Headquarters, Abuia, on or before 4‘“ of March, 2019 unfailingly.

The circular with reference number EII/2018/CIRCULAR NO. 24 however insisted that an earlier directive issued by the customs boss that the cargoes should not be released still stands.

“The Comptroller-General has further directed that all the profiled SGD’s with names of the Importer, Exporter and Form ‘M’ numbers on the Bill of Lading/Manifest different from that on the PAAR be forwarded to the Office of Comptroller Enforcement Headquarters, Abuja, on or before 4‘“ of March, 2019 unfailingly”

“The earlier directive to suspend their release still stands”

“The Committee will commence work on the 6^th of March 2019 as approved by the CGC”

“This is for immediate and strict compliance, please” the circular reads in part.

Nigeriamaritime360.com recalls that the customs authority had said in December 2018, that, it was alarmed at the increasing practice among freight forwarders, who clear goods with Form M, Bill of laden and PAAR that carry different names from that of the consignees.

In a circular signed by Deputy Comptroller General of customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Mr. Isa Talatu, the customs’ Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), had directed all Area Controllers to suspend the release forthwith till further notice, any cargoes with discrepancies in their documentation.

Lamenting the pains and frustration of freight forwarders over this development, the Vice-President, Western Zone of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, declared that over 5,000 containers, 2,000 of which are in Apapa, are currently trapped inside the Lagos ports over the issue of ‘third party’ clearance.

The 5,000 containers, he stated, are outside those trapped at other ports and border posts across the country.