Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya the Custom Area Controller of the Lillypond Export Command in a media briefing explained that his command is dedicated to overseeing export trade and has brought a lot of improvements in support of the Federal Government drive to promote non-oil export.
He emphasized that it is important to have a resolve solutions to issues and not to sacrifice compliance on the altar of trade facilitation as they shall always prevent the export of any consignment that run in conflict with the laws of our country. It is in the light of this that the command notifies the general public of its latest fight against smuggling and defiance to extant Customs laws and regulations.
Acting on credible intelligence, a combined team of the Lilypond Export Command officers and officers of the Customs Intelligence Unit following the discharge of some export bound containers at the barge area of Apapa Port on October 11, 2024 intercepted and detained these containers suspected to being used for smuggling. A total of Eleven units of 20FT containers fully laden with Rough/Sawn Timber have been seized. This consignment is estimated to having a street value of Two Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Four US Dollars ($295,944.00). The LEXC on November 1,2024 scheduled the suspected containers for hundred percent physical examination and they were found to contain raw and unprocessed timber which contravenes Schedule 6 of the Common External Tariff (CET). Particulars of these Eleven containers are TRLU9354677, MRKU9991028, TCLU2179830, MSKU5051480, MRKU7071648, MSKU5894593, TCLU2179830, MSKU5051480, MRKU7071648, MSKU5894593, TCLU2543324, MSKU3929849, MSKU7323470, MSKU5953248, and GAOU2550990.
Odusanya further explained that going by the provisions of Sections 148,149 and 150 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 the detained containers are hereby being converted to seizures.
"While we are yet to apprehend the culprits behind this criminal act, we expect these seizures to serve as deterrent to any person or export trader planning to perpetuate similar offence. I assure that the long arms of the law would catch up with anyone that dares our resolve. This further underscores the CGC's zero tolerance for smuggling, even in the area of export. It goes further to confirm our alertness with the support of other units within the service and sister government agencies to detect and prevent criminal activities in the area of export" he said.
The Controller concluded that by urging both the Small, Medium and Large-scale exporters to take advantage of the easy processes and window of opportunities provided by the Federal Government to encourage export trade. That they shall continue to engage their partners and stakeholders as mandated by the Controller General of Customs following the theme of the World Customs Organization for 2024 and that of the recently held 2024 Comptroller General of Customs Conference.
