Banning Cargo Evacuation By Badges Ridiculous, Ex Minister Tells Customs CG

Abiola Seun

A former minster of interior, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho has described the banning of evacuation of cargoes with badges by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as the most ridiculous thing ever heard.

He said this yesterday in a chat with on the side-line of an industry reception for the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh in Lagos.

Iheanacho, who expressed shock over the ban of cargo evacuation by the Customs service, advised the Comptroller General of Customs to instead, track cargoes on badges with officers of the service.

He said, “Banning of badge from operating is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard. Those badges are helping move containers back and forth from the port and if there is any problem regarding tracking, what they should have done is to put Customs officers on those badges, tally them and know the status of those badges; but to ban them I was so stunned when I heard that,” he said.

Recall that the Customs service had in a circular signed by the Deputy Comptroller General, Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, DCG A.Chidi, a copy of which was sighted over the weekend, lamented that some importers and agents were taking advantage of barge evacuation to divert containers to illegal warehouses.

The circular with number NCF/ENF/ABJ/058/S.23 dated 12th of March 2020 has been transmitted to all area commands, all heads of unit, sector drill commanders, federal operations units and the CGC strike force for immediate action.

The circular reads in part “The CGC is in receipt of intelligence that the use of barges to evacuate containers in and out of our ports is being abused to the extent that containers are being diverted to illegal warehouses”

“Consequently, I am directed to inform you that the use of barges to evacuate containers should stop with immediate effect”