Customs’ approved checkpoints at border posts

Due to the large land mass of the country, the Nigeria Customs Service does not have the required man power to man all the border posts in the country.

The Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, as well as some of his predecessors had one time or the other, declared that, if all the members of the service line themselves up and hold their hands down, they could not cover all the border posts.

This explains the porous nature of Nigeria’s land borders and the thriving smuggling business.

There are over 1,000 unapproved routes which are not manned by the Customs through which contraband goods enter into the country.

However, there are some approved routes which the Customs mount its check points to screen goods that come through the borders

According to the service, there are 12 of such approved check-points as well as the documents required from the border traders to present at these points.

The names of the approved check-points across all commands are as follows: Lagos: Agbara and Gbaji along Lagos – Seme Expressway; Ogun: Ajilete, Ihunbo, Ayetoro and Atan along Ididroko – Lagos Road; Oyo: Igbeti; Edo: Benin Toll Gate and Ewu Junction; Anambra: Onitsha Head Bridge and Borno /Yobe: Damasak, Dikwa and Duji.

Others are: Akwa Ibom /Cross River: Uya-Oro, Ikom Onna and Urua-Akpa Junction; Katsina: Agangaro and Shoroka; Adamawa/Taraba: Baisa, Mang Gembu-Cameroun Road, Ngoroje Gembu-Jalingo, Kanyaka and Gembu-Cameroun Road; Kano/Jigawa:Maigatari, Babura/Turare, Achilafia and Daura Road; Niger: Luma and Sokoto: Gurbin Baure, Mamman Suka and Tangaza.

Required documents at each customs check points are:

GENERAL IMPORT GOODS A: i. Single Goods Declaration (SGD) of Form C2010 ii. Form ‘M’ iii. PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report) iv. ASYCUDA Acknowledgement of Exit v. Bill of Lading/Air way Bill vi. CCVO – Combined Certificate of Value and Origin or Form ‘C’16 vii. ASYCUDA Payment Receipt and viii. Packing List

B: GOODS ELIGIBLE FOR WAIVER/CONCESSION i. Exemption Certificate from Federal Ministry of Finance ii. A covering letter from NCS Headquarters iii. List of Beneficiaries

C: RESTRICTED GOODS i. Explosive Goods, Arms and Ammunition, Military Hardware, Fertilizer (Urea), Bullet Proof, Armored vehicles, Chemicals etc ii. EUC – End User Certificate/Permit in addition to the above listed import requirements

D: PARCEL POST/COURIER GOODS i. Packing List ii. Attested Invoice where applicable

TRANSIT GOODS i. Advisory Note Form C 150 with Armed Customs Escort ii. SGD Form C 2010 (Single Goods Declaration) iii. Form Sale 30 – Bond or Provisional payment receipt iv. ASYCUDA Acknowledgement of Exit v. Transire

TEMPORARY IMPORTATION GOODS i. Provisional Payment Receipt or Bond ii. ASYCUDA Acknowledgement of Exit iii. Form Sale 32 – Approval of NCS

TEMPORARY IMPORTATION ON VEHICLES i. A Carnet or Triptyque ii. Provisional Payment Receipt iii. Form Sale 34 iv. Carte Grise (Motor Vehicles at neighboring Territories adjacent Nigeria) v. International Passport

SPECIAL EXEMPTION ON VEHICLES FOR WEST AFRICAN GOVERNMENT i. written letter from the Embassy concerned ii. Vehicles driven by official driver

DIPLOMATIC GOODS i. International Passport ii. Form CCI obtained from Min. of Foreign Affairs iii.Certified letter from Consulates/Organization iv. ASYCUDA Acknowledgement of Exit v. SGD Form C 2010 (Single Goods Declaration) vi. Form C 1201 – Duty Free Importation vii. Bill of Lading or Airway Bill

ACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE i. International Passport ii. Valuation Assessment Note or Form C119 where applicable iii. ASYCUDA or Bank Payment Receipt where applicable

VEHICLES i. SGD Form C 2010 ii. Packing List iii. Bill of Lading/Air way Bill iv. Valuation Assessment Note Form C 119 v. Attested Invoice vi. ASYCUDA Acknowledgement of Exit vii. Duty Certificate viii. PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report) & Form ‘M’ is required for new vehicles

Given the reason for making the list of the check-points available to the public, Joseph Attah, thd National Public Relations Officer of the Service, said the Service relationship with the business community and travelling public is sometimes frosty arising from either lack of knowledge or appreciation of the crucial role of the Service to national security and economic well-being.

According to him, ” In line with the executive order on the ease of doing business in Nigeria, the Service wishes to make public the list of approved Customs check-points and what is required from stakeholders at such check-points.

“Accordingly, Stakeholders are advised to note the check-points, especially the requirements to avoid unnecessary delays.”

It will be recalled that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) had directed the dismantling of any check-point beyond 40km radius of the land borders. Any operation beyond the 40km should be only on credible information lasting not more than 24 hours at a time.