The Customs Service said this is in line with the directives of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who also initiated a 90-day window, effective from 4th March 2024 to 5th July 2024, for the regularisation of import duties on specific categories of vehicles.

A statement released by Chief Superintendent of Customs National Public Relations Officer for Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Friday, March 22, added that ”stakeholders, including vehicle owners, importers, and agents, are encouraged to seize this opportunity to regularise import duty payments within the designated 90-day timeframe.”

The Chief Superintendent of Customs and National Public Relations Officer for Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed the suspension of the exercise in a statement on Monday.

Nigeria Customs had said it was selling seized food items at N10,000 per 25kg to alleviate the people’s suffering as a result of the current high cost of living and other economic hardships.

On Friday, a pregnant woman and six others reportedly died in a stampede after some suspected hoodlums attempted to force their way into the Yaba Customs office compound.

Some Lagos residents who thronged the NCS office in Yaba expressed disappointment on Monday following the suspension of the initiative. A mass of people, including the elderly, queued up in front of the gate to buy the rice.

despite spirited efforts by officers to assure the people that the service was out of stock, the crowd continued to grow.

one of the intending buyers, identified as Toyin Oke-Owo, urged President Bola Tinubu to find a lasting solution to the economic hardship in the country.

She said, “I have been here since 8 am. They said there would be no rice again. I have not eaten anything since this morning. Help us to tell the President that we are hungry.

“They said they wouldn’t sell it because some people died here. They have been chasing us away with a cane. I am hungry. This morning, I soaked cassava flour for my child to drink as breakfast.”

Another woman, who identified herself as Adesola Odefunso, said, “Please, help us to beg them that they should distribute what they have to those of us who have been here since morning.

“We are not as many as the people who came here on Friday. Help us to beg them to give us rice. We have been here since 5 am. We didn’t sleep throughout the night because of this rice.”

Meanwhile, in a statement on Monday evening, the NCS said the suspension became necessary considering “the recent unfortunate event.”

“We regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we establish what transpired on Friday, February 23, 2024,” the NCS spokesman said.

He explained that: “The disposal of the food items got off to a smooth start at about 0800hrs. We enjoyed the cooperation of the large crowd that obliged us, giving preferences to the elderly, people living with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable Nigerians who showed up for the exercise.

“This was the case up until about 1700hrs, as attested to by the over 5,000 beneficiaries and members of the press. However, unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome.

“The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice bags inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded.”

The Customs extended its “heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the unfortunate incident.”

The service said it was working with health authorities to establish contact and engage directly with the victims’ families on their next steps.

Rice has been rising in price despite its production locally. The commodity now sells for between N55,000 and N60,000 for a 50kg bag, depending on the area of purchase.

Its price was around N30,000 for the same 50kg bag about a year ago, but the cost has maintained a northward drive despite the local production of rice and the recent lifting of the ban on forex for the importation of rice into Nigeria.

On October 12, the Central Bank of Nigeria had lifted the ban on importers of 43 items restricted from accessing foreign exchange on its official platform. Rice is among the items.

Many Nigerians had expected the cost of rice, particularly the imported ones, to crash following the announcement by CBN. But on the contrary, the cost of the staple has continued to rise.

Although domestic producers of rice said the high cost of production was a major reason for the rise in the cost of the commodity, it was gathered that its imports were still very limited due to the restriction on the product by the Nigeria Customs Service.

The NCS insisted that rice, as a restricted item, would be confiscated if imported via the country’s land borders, stressing that the lifting of forex ban on 43 items by the CBN did not stop rice from being a restricted commodity.

“What is the relationship between the removal of forex on restricted items, vis-a-vis fiscal policies of the government? They are different things. Rice is a restricted item. So, if it is a restricted item, it remains restricted,” the NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, said

He continued, “There is a difference between restriction and prohibition. And there is a difference between absolute prohibition and prohibition by trade. Somebody who is in tune with how these import and export processes are done must know what these terminologies are.

“How many tonnes of rice do we produce in Nigeria? Those are the things to find out, not to ask me why the price is going high. Rice is a restricted item and that is why it is being intercepted. “If you import rice through the land border it will be confiscated because it is a restricted item. The way vehicles cannot come in through the land border, is also how rice cannot come in through the land border.”

Maiwada insisted that the restrictive policy of the government on the commodity had not changed, adding that if there was any change in the policy it would be communicated to the public by the customs service.

He said, “If there is a change in policy, we will tell you. If today the government says vehicles can come in through the land borders, we have to inform you by telling you that the government has lifted the ban restricting the importation of vehicles through the land borders and you can then import vehicles.

“Also, some people are talking about frozen poultry products, and these are products under the import prohibition list. Go and check our website, see the import and export prohibition list, you will see that live birds and poultry products are under the prohibition list.”

He said the NCS does not determine the price of goods in the market, adding that “Customs is only responsible for the implementation of fiscal policies.”

The apex bank, in October 2023, had announced in a statement titled, ‘CBN restates commitment to boost liquidity in forex market’, signed by the then Director, Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, stated that “importers of all the 43 items previously restricted by the 2015 circular referenced TED/FEM/FPC/GEN/01/010, and its addendums are now allowed to purchase foreign exchange in the Nigerian foreign exchange market.”

The bank had also stated that it would continue to promote orderliness and professional conduct by all Nigerian foreign exchange market participants to ensure market forces determined exchange rates on a willing buyer – willing seller principle.

The statement said the CBN was committed to accelerating efforts to clear the FX backlog with existing participants and would continue dialogue with stakeholders to address the issue.

Meanwhile, an impeccable source at the CBN declared that due to the paucity of forex, it would be very tough to secure dollars to import rice.

“For the seaports, if you can secure forex to import, fine. But the truth is that you cannot. Nobody will approve your Form-A to import rice, I’m just giving you this reality,” the source who requested not to be named due to lack of authorisation, stated.

The official added, “Every government has its way of doing things, but the fact is that nothing has changed concerning rice imports, despite the lifting of the ban on the restriction of forex for the imports of some of those items.” The President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabir Ibrahim, explained that the skyrocketing price of rice in Nigeria was not the fault of farmers, but due to the high cost of producing the commodity.

In a statement signed on Monday by the Public Relations Officer of the zone, Jerry Attah, the acting Customs Area Controller in charge of the zone, Kayode Kolade, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the government warehouse, in Benin City, Edo State.

He said that during the period under review, nine suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.

Kolade, who frowned at the spate of smuggling in the zone, said N54.2m was recovered by the zone from demand notices raised based on some infractions noticed, as they raked in a cumulative sum of N1.6bn during the period.

“Other contrabands seized included 417 sacks of cannabis sativa also known as Indian hemp weighing 9; 194kg and 627 compressed parcels of the same Indian hemp one kg each totalling 627kg, nine sacks of explosives’ raw materials (fertilizer, device cables, and superpower90 chemicals) 50kg each; 1,329 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice 50kg each,” he said.

“Five cartons of DSP Cough Syrup with Codeine 100mg, containing 1000 bottles; 1 unit of armored bullion van; 761 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing; 883 cartons of various unregistered/expired medicaments, including tramadol, 100 cartons of various wines; 5,737 pieces of used pneumatic tires; 335 cartons of smuggled foreign tomato paste; 300 cartons of foreign spaghetti, among others.” Kolade narrated.

The area controller stated that the contrabands were intercepted at different locations under the jurisdiction of the zone.

According to him, “The rice was intercepted along Calabar/Akwa Ibom axis and Okada/Benin Expressway, the 417 sacks and 627 parcels of Indian hemp were intercepted at Okada-Benin and Ewu-Auchi Expressway respectively. 761 Jumbo bales of used clothing mostly concealed in trucks and buses were intercepted along Umeikaa/Aba Road and Okada-Benin road.” he explained.

“The five cartons of DSP cough syrup with codeine, and 883 cartons of unregistered medicaments were intercepted along Benin/Asaba/Onitsha Expressway while the armored bullion van without customs documents and end users certificate was intercepted along Okada/Benin Expressway. 100 cartons of wine and 335 tomato paste were intercepted along the Ewu/Ibilo axis, and 5,737 pieces of used pneumatic tires were also intercepted along Cross River waterside and Okada-Benin Expressway,” he said.

He expressed worry over the smuggling of explosives adding that the country has continued to grapple with the challenges associated with insecurity.
Kolade warned smugglers to desist forthwith in the interest of humanity or have the law to contend with.

“We all know the security implications if these explosives components get to their destination unchecked. It may interest you to know that Superpower 90 is designed for priming applications and as a column explosive in surface and underground mining and general blasting. The high detonation velocity and the robust nature of Superpower 90 make it an ideal primer for the initiation of column charge. Let us not just imagine if dynamites and landmines are detonated using these items” he said.

The controller however warned all economic saboteurs who plan to use the ember period for their nefarious acts to have a rethink as the service will make sure they count their losses.

“No amount of distraction will stop us from carrying out our statutory responsibilities not even in the face of attacks we encountered this month by some sponsored elements,” Kolade said.

According to him, “Based on prompt intelligence and sting operation, the rice was intercepted along Calabar/Akwa Ibom axis and Okada/Benin Expressway, the 417 sacks and 627 parcels of Indian hemp were intercepted at Okada-Benin and Ewu-Auchi Expressway respectively. 761 jumbo bales of used clothing mostly concealed in trucks and buses were intercepted along Umeikaa/Aba Road and Okada-Benin Road,” he explained.

NCS acting comptroller-general, Adewale Adeniyi, who addressed the Illela border community in Sokoto state, said the closure of the country’s border is not a declaration of war.

According to him, it is in compliance with the directive of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) which has suspended movement of cargo until further notice.

Adewale said;  “My mission here is to restate the directives of President Bola Tinubu, being not only the commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria but also chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As we are aware, one of the chairman’s responsibilities is to promote trade between members of ECOWAS. But we all know that trade cannot happen in an environment where there is no peace.

“So the intention of government is to ensure that we leverage perfectly on the nexus between trade and security. This development informed the ECOWAS heads of state’s decision to cease trade with our neighbours, the Republic of Niger. However, there are other measures that are ongoing, On the diplomatic front, there are engagements going on with the authority of Niger to ensure the crisis is peacefully resolved. So what we are saying is that the closure will be a temporary thing until we have a final resolution of the crisis in Niger Republic. But certainly, we are not at war with the Niger Republic and no such declaration has been made.”

The NCS on Saturday raised the exchange rate used for the calculation of import duty from N422.30/dollar to N589/dollar.

The development, which has led to a corresponding 40 per cent increase in import duty on imported cargoes including vehicles, has angered operators in the maritime sector with clearing agents, freight forwarders, and importers calling for an immediate reversal of the policy.

Stakeholders said the policy would lead to job losses in the maritime sector and a drastic fall in the number of imported vehicles.

This, they said, could affect business and economic growth. Economists also said the government was insensitive, saying the policy was capable of affecting Nigerians negatively.

The development came barely one month after the Federal Government removed fuel subsidy and floated the naira. It also came at a time Discos began a gradual increase of their tariff.

The National Public Relations Officer,  NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, who confirmed the new exchange rate on its portal, said the agency was only implementing a CBN policy.

He said, “Whatever you see in our system is what has been communicated to us. It is determined by the Central Bank of Nigeria. So whatever we are using is what is obtainable as communicated to us. It is a monetary policy, we only implement what is given to us. It is a monetary policy and anything monetary is not determined by us, it is determined by the CBN. We only use what is communicated to us.”

Also confirming the development, the Youth Leader of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, at Tin Can Island, Remilekun Sikiru, said that the new rate had been effected on the Customs portal.

Our correspondent also confirmed the new rate on the Customs portal on Sunday.

Sikiru, also the CEO of Siktemstar Logistics, said that the customs duty payable on vehicles had increased astronomically.

He said, “For instance, the total duty payable on a Toyota Camry was N901,000 before now; but it has been increased to N1,270m; duty payable on Venza was N1.632m before now, but it has been increased to N2.278m. In the same vein, Toyota Corolla was N786,000, but now  it has been increased to N1.097m while Lexus Rx which used to cost N1,828,000 now costs N2,550,447.”

The Comptroller, Auwal Muhammad, disclosed this on Thursday in Onne, during his official handing over to the newly deployed Comptroller, Baba Imam.

Muhammad said that the figure represented an increase of 28.3 per cent.

Highlighting some of the command’s achievements, Muhammad attributed his administration’s success to robust synergy among officers and relevant stakeholders in the command.

According to him, the Nigerian Customs Service, Onne port was a revenue-generating command with statutory function covering vast anti-smuggling activities and also serving as an export point for goods.

“Comparatively, when I took over in Sept. 2020, a total revenue of N118 billion was generated by the command, and in 2021, an improved revenue to the tune of N188.6 billion representing more than N54 billion increase was generated by the command.

This constant increase became possible following the introduction of improved revenue generation structures which has enabled the command achieve as much as the total sum of N242,090,629,309.29 in 2022,” he said.

The Comptroller also attributed the successes so far recorded to aggressive operational activities where all cargoes are subject to 100 per cent examination except where interventions became necessary.

“Our ability to thoroughly examine containers has also helped us prevent passage of contraband and unwholesome goods, as well as record high profile seizures by the command.

“The command recorded a total of 51 seizures with a duty paid value amounting to N1,764,303,008.9 in 2022,” he added.

Responding, the new Comptroller promised to leverage on existing cooperation aimed at promoting the agency’s mandate.

The agents, in exclusive interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Sunday, accused the service of effecting 10 per cent duty increase but failed to apply the 10 per cent yearly depreciation value on imported used vehicles.

The Deputy President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Nnadi Ugochukwu, wondered why the NCS started a new financial calendar in January when this was meant to be done in April.

He said, “Importers have to pay based on 2014 model even if the vehicle is a 2008 model. So, It is true the NCS has raised duty to 2014, normally their new calendar is supposed to start by March.

This has made imported vehicles to become trapped at the port, Customs increased duty by 10 per cent, but refused to implement the 10 per cent annual depreciation.

So, if you look at it now, you have to pay 10 percent more. It refuses to implement the 10 per cent annual depreciation value on imported used vehicles; they are now making a 10 per cent increase every year”

Nnadi expressed fear that the move would lead to a drop in vehicle imports.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Port & Terminal Multipurpose Limited chapter of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria, Geoffrey Nwosu, said,

He said, “The Customs has hiked their duty to 2014 baseline starting this January. Even when we wanted to clear 2008 we were paying for 2013. The depreciation on it should be automatic.”

.Meanwhile, a licensed Customs agent, Mr Timothy Adebowale, queried while the service failed to effect depreciation value rate on 2014 vehicles.

He said that the service was meant to effect yearly depreciation value on vehicles.

Reacting, the National Public Relations Officer, NCS, Timi Bomodi, said the development was based on government fiscal policy on age limit.

“Nothing has changed fundamentally from the age limit policy of the Federal Government. I don’t think it is necessary, these people know the rules. We don’t need to start this year like that, people are trying to see that things work out the way it should and if we are trying to see that things work out the way it should, we don’t need to be hitting ourselves over the head, we don’t need all those things. We just need to do our work and at the end of the day if it favors some people fine and if it doesn’t then they should know what the proper thing is” he concluded.

The Federal Government has, however, threatened to sanction those involved in the illegality, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Customs Service, among other MDAs.

Investigations showed that some agencies issued employment letters to jobseekers, which were not accredited by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Federal Civil Service Commission, while others simply replaced retired or dead officials with friends and family members.

But the replacements were done without the approval of the OHCSF and the Federal Civil Service Commission.

some civil servants, who were engaged in employment racketeering, were caught in the Federal Ministry of Works.

It was also reported how the OHCSF uncovered over 1,500 civil servants with fake employment letters in a ministry.

Corroborating this, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, said her office had detected a total of 1,618 workers whose letters of employment were either fake or illegal in the Federal Civil Service.

This is despite the embargo placed on employment by the government.

In 2019, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was reported to have employed many individuals without following the due recruitment process.

Many groups, including the Niger Delta Youth Consort of Nigeria, protested against the NNPC for excluding the region and southerners in the secret recruitment.

The National Coordinator of the NDYCN, Chuks Onuoha, described the practice as unacceptable, but the then NNPC spokesman, Kenny Obateru, denied the recruitment.

According to him, what the NNPC management did was to fill the vacancies with personnel who were already in the system and were qualified rather than recruiting fresh ones from outside the system.

But applicants, who got to the final stage of the screening process, accused the oil giant of substituting their names with favoured candidates.

“The NNPC replaced most of the EH positions under the guise of a hurriedly planned scheme codenamed Internal Open Resource where some people, who contracted third party staff members and did not meet the requisite experience and qualifications in the advertised EH vacancies, are being deployed through the backdoor in an unfortunate and disappointing bid to jettison the EH merit list,” the President, Transparency in Recruitment at Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Felix Sunday, had lamented then.

The current NNPC spokesman, Garba Deen Muhammad, asked one of our correspondents to send a message to him on WhatsApp three Fridays ago, but he had yet to respond to the message as of the time of filing this report.

Similarly, the Federal Inland Revenue Service was enmeshed in a recruitment scandal in 2021 after it emerged that it secretly engaged 2,000 workers, a development that put a strain on its budget.

The Nigerian Civil Service Union, which disclosed this in a petition to the FIRS Chairman, Muhammad Namu, in June 2021, also revealed that the agency was finding it difficult to pay salaries at some point after the secret engagement of the staff members within a period of 18 months.

It demanded an end to the re-engagement of retired directors and other categories of staff.

The media aide to the FIRS chairman, Tobi Wojuola, refused to respond to the allegations against the service when contacted.

Reacting to allegations of illegal recruitment, the Nigerian Customs Service spokesman, Timi Bomodi, insisted that there had been no backdoor recruitment in the service.

He said, “We advertise every recruitment in newspapers; there is no ministry and department of government in Nigeria that is as transparent in its recruitment process as the Nigeria Customs Service.

All the 774 local government areas are represented in our recruitment. Applicants are made to sit aptitude tests and are selected based on their competences. You don’t need to know anybody before you can be employed in the service.”

Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria was accused of recruiting 909 staff members within two years without advertising the vacancies. Although the Federal Character Commission investigated the allegation, nothing has been heard about the case.

Ayalogu died at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on October 17, 2022, after he suddenly fell sick.

The Customs Public Relations Unit spokesperson, AA Maiwada, who confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, October 18, said Ayalogu became unconcious while in transit on an official assignment.

The 57-year-old Comptroller was rushed to the Nigerian Air Force Hospital in Kano where he was pronounced dead.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Comptroller Anthony Ayalogu. Until his death, he was the Customs Comptroller in charge of the Trade Facilitation Unit of the Service. He was in transit on an official assignment when he suddenly took ill upon arrival at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and lost consciousness,” the statement read.

All efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful as he was pronounced dead at 2020 hours on Monday 17th October 2022 at 465 Nigerian Airforce Hospital Kano. He was aged 57.

Comptroller Anthony Ayalogu hailed from Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra state. He held a Bachelor’s Degree in Botany from the University of Port Harcourt. He was enlisted into the Nigeria Customs Service on 24th September 1991 as cadet Assistant Superintendent.

“Comptroller Ayalogu who was a Fellow at the World Customs Organization (WCO) took over as Comptroller Trade Facilitation on 31 January 2022. He had an outstanding career as the reform champion of the Nigeria Customs Service and had previously served at the System Audit Unit under the Tariff and Trade Department. He is survived by a wife and children.

“The Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), CFR and the entire Officers and men commiserate with the family and friends of the Late Comptroller Anthony Ayalogu. He was a true champion and will be sorely missed. We pray God grants the Ayalogu family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Amen.”