Mohammed Shosanya

The Nigeria Customs Service boss, (CGC) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR says Customs Area 11 Command Onne Rivers state has intercepted 12 foorty foot containers of unwholesome goods illegally imported into the county with Duty paid value of over N31 Billion.

Speaking at a press briefing at the government warehouse area of the Command, Adeniyi who said that these merchants of death were trying to undermine the trade facilitation posture of his administration vowed that the Onne customs command under the leadership of Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, his officers and men were ever ready to beat them in their games.

“Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to trade facilitation and economic development. It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro – trade stance to commit atrocities bothering on National Security breaches ” Adeniyi said.

He added” the attempt to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port.”” “Coming on the heel of a seizure of a huge cache of arms couple of months ago, it is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts.”

He reiterated that recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend at Onne Port which according to him is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo importation.

He insisted that the scale and nature of these illegal importations posed a significant threat to the national security and the health of her citizens.

Unveiling the seized goods he said “today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 11 Command.” “On display are twelve (12) containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination.”

He added:” Seizures on Display: One (1) x 40-feet container: Containing 4,800 pairs of military/paramilitary camouflage rain boots and 67,320 pairs of various rubber footwear, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦923,040,000. Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a DPV of ₦4,716,573,846. Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of ₦17,432,506,000. Five (5) x 40-feet containers: Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of ₦8,128,568,295.90.”

He further stated that:” these interceptions bring the total Duty Paid Value of the 12 seized containers to a staggering ₦31,200,688,142.”

Noting that the operation was not only a testament to the Area 11 Command’s vigilance but also the effectiveness of its intelligence network and the critical partnerships that the Command maintained with other security agencies.

On the dangers such goods would pose to the nation at large, the comptroller General of Customs said he was calling on all patriotic citizens to assist the Nigeria Customs Service as according to him, the issue was not that of Customs alone but the generality of the people as any information shared with the Customs would help prevent what he described as a potential catastrophe.

“I want to emphasize that this is not just a Customs issue – it is a national security concern that affects every Nigerian. We are therefore calling on all patriotic citizens to assist us in this crucial endeavor. We need your help in providing intelligence regarding those behind these nefarious acts and their intentions. Your information, no matter how small, could be the key to preventing a potential catastrophe. Therefore, effective immediately, we are implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port. For the next three months, we will be conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers. If the owners do not come forward for examination, we will open these containers to verify their contents. This is a temporary but necessary measure to clean up the port and restore its integrity” he maintained.

He assured legitimate traders that such a measure was not to disrupt their businesses but to create a more secure business environment for their businesses to thrive.

He said:“I want to assure the business community and legitimate importers that this measure is not aimed at disrupting lawful trade. Our goal is to create a safer, more secure environment for genuine business activities to thrive. We will work to ensure that lawful shipments are processed as quickly and efficiently as possible during this period.”

But to the unrepentant traders he added “to those who may be tempted to continue these illegal activities, let me be clear: the Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with other security agencies, will bring the full weight of the law upon anyone found complicit in these crimes against our nation.”

“I would like to express my deep appreciation to the officers of the Port Harcourt Area 2 Command for their relentless efforts in safeguarding our nation. Your dedication to duty and your commitment to the fight against smuggling are commendable, and I want to assure you that your efforts do not go unnoticed even as he noted that “these seizures were made in strict compliance with customs laws, particularly concerning concealment, false declaration, and the importation of prohibited items.”

“The illegal pharmaceuticals, including cough syrup and tramadol, will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in accordance with our Memorandum of Understanding, while the other items will be dealt with as per the legal frameworks governing our activities.”

“As we move forward, I want to reiterate our commitment to continuing this momentum. The Nigeria Customs Service, under my leadership, will leave no stone unturned in our mission to protect the health and safety of Nigerians. We will strengthen our intelligence networks, enhance our inter-agency collaborations, and ensure that those who seek to harm our nation face the full weight of the law.”

He said:” I want to assure all Nigerians that the Nigeria Customs Service will continue to be a formidable force in the fight against smuggling and the illegal importation of harmful goods. We will remain steadfast in our duties to ensure that our nation remains a safe place for all to thrive.”

Mohammed Shosanya

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla,has called for the establishment of special courts dedicated to maritime crimes to ensure effective and efficient justice delivery in the country.

He said,doing so will result in better outcomes for law enforcement, improve data collection and analysis which are crucial for policy and legislative formulation in combating maritime crimes, for the development of the blue economy.

He stated this on Friday while presenting the 3rd Distinguished personality lecture at Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan on the lecture “Role of the Nigerian Navy in Combatting Maritime Crimes for enhanced Blue Economy in Nigeria”

He lamented that limited community support makes maritime criminals emboldened, knowing that they may not be reported or caught in Nigeria.

He noted that the evolving “dynamics of maritime crimes could negatively affect the prospects, hence the need for pragmatic solutions to address the threats”

Listing non-diligent prosecution of maritime crimes as one of the challenges facing the navy in combating maritime crimes, Vice Admiral Ogalla stated that “the Nigerian Navy and other law enforcement agencies have made commendable efforts in arrest and prosecution of maritime offenders.

“However, inadequacies such as prolonged trial periods are being exploited by criminals. This has led to protracted litigation and several abandoned vessels across Nigerian Navy Bases. Between 2015 to date, 250 vessels arrested were handed over to prosecuting agencies, yet only 82 have been successfully prosecuted, leaving a balance of 168 still in Nigerian Navy custody In the last six years.

“The Nigerian Navy has lost a significant number of cases for non-diligent prosecution of maritime suspects by these prosecuting agencies. Likewise, over N450 million for legal services are provided for these private lawyers at the expense of essential infrastructure for the service to combat the maritime crimes.

“These waterways provide vital access to 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states and connect 6 neighbouring countries. Nigeria’s maritime domain also has the most fertile hydrocarbon provinces in the world, underscoring its strategic importance”.

In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan Professor Kayode Adebowale represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Professor Peter Olapegba,stated that “a secure maritime domain is essential for the protection of our territorial integrity, the safeguarding of our economic interests, and the well-being of the millions of Nigerians who depend on the sea for their livelihoods.

“As strategic hub for knowledge creation and re-creation in cognate areas of peace, security and humanitarian studies, we are particularly concerned about the rise in maritime threats, including, oil theft, illegal fishing, trafficking of drugs and weapons and piracy in particular. These illicit activities not only undermine our national security but also command potential to stifle economic growth and development along our coasts”

The Director, Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, Professor Ruth Adio-Moses,maintained that the significance of “maritime security cannot be overstated, especially for a nation like ours blessed with a vast coastline and abundant maritime resources adding that the Chief of the Naval Staff was invited as part of the ongoing town-gown synergy towards proffering solutions to the myriads of problems facing the maritime space.”

Mohammed Shosanya

Rivers State Government has signed a Public-Private-Partnership framework agreement for the establishment of a New Port City.

The port would be sited on a 1,000 hectares of land that will serve as nucleus of network of urban centres designed to decongest Port Harcourt and break the one-city jinx of the state.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday, was between the Rivers State Government, under the supervision of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA) and Rainbow Heritage Group (RHG).

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Israel Iboroma, SAN, and Acting Director General of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dr Tonte Davies signed for the Rivers State Government, while the Group Managing Director (GMD), Mr Oliver Biedima, signed for the Rainbow Heritage Group.

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who was represented at the signing event by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, said that over the years, the state has remained a one-city State.

Governor Fubara, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, explained that the partnership deal between the Rivers State Government represented by the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority and Rainbow Heritage Group Limited will ensure achievement of one of the three new cities his administration has proposed to establish.

He said: “Today, we all are going to be witnesses to a great event that will birth a New Port City in Eleme Local Government Area. That city will sit on 1,000 hectares of land, and it will be a well-planned scheme with all the features of a modern city in place.

“And so, today, we are going to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and I assure you that the vision of our Governor with the support of Rainbow Heritage Group Limited, and under the able leadership of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, we will see the birthing of that New Port City,” he said.

He noted that the bold initiative will help decongest the heavily populated city of Port Harcourt, and break the one-city jinx that Rivers State has been noted for all these years.

Speaking,the Acting Director General of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA), Dr Tonte Davies, explained that the expected New Port City will be executed on a 1,000 hectares of land, and may be expandable.

He said the engagement of Rainbow Heritage Group is evidence of the agency’s commitment to achieving the mandate given to them by Governor Fubara to create more cities in the State.

He stated: “His Excellency said it’s 1,000 hectares, but we are working towards having much more than that, because there are going to be other satellite connecting towns to this New Port City.

“It is called New Port City not because we want to just call it a New Port City, but because we look at that area as having the Onne Ports.

“Looking at the Greater Port Harcourt Master Plan, you will see we have three development notes: the Old City, the International Airport and the Onne Ports.

“The Old City is there already existing. The International Airport is where the Phase 1A of the Greater Port Harcourt City is, and now, we have moved towards the Onne Ports.

“And that is how the Greater Port Harcourt City will be pushed forward, just like Rainbow Heritage Group said, towards other connecting towns that will be created.”

Dr Davies assured that the development of the New Port City will bring about massive employment, before, during and even after construction works are concluded, bearing in mind that cities are not necessarily developed in one day.

He restated the commitment of the agency not to let this State down while also appreciating the massive support from Governor Fubara which will contribute immensely to eventual actualisation of the project.

“Just like His Excellency rightly said, Port Harcourt has been a one-city State, created on the same day with a state like Lagos, but with better potentials that can be compared with Lagos State. But we have foot-dragged on our development.

“We were glad when Rainbow Heritage Group came in, having seen their track record. It has been a long journey. We have done so much in the past months; sleepless nights, working together, to ensure that today, history is made.

“This development will bring about massive employment, before, during and even after construction. Cities are not developed in one day, we know, but for this, we assure you that we have a record time.”

In his remarks, the Group Managing Director (GMD), Rainbow Heritage Group (RHG), Mr Oliver Biedima, stated how, as a group, they had always wanted such partnerships with the Rivers State Government to create a new city that will transform the lives of residents in the State.

Mr Biedima said because of such long expected dream, the group, over the years, made researches on how to truly enhance the abundant potentials of Rivers State to achieve resourceful revitalisation.

He said: “So, the New Port City has been identified to be a strategic location. In fact, I can call it one robust strategic location we have in the region that combines the Blue Economy, Agriculture, Industry, Real Estate, and we can actually grow it as a major economic power-house in the West African sub-region.”

Mr Biedima emphasised: “All the necessary indicators, all the necessary features or parameters needed to build the city are all in place.

“The city is founded on strategic partnerships, and we believe that it will have the opportunity to be able to build enough opportunities for emergence of new jobs, new businesses, anchor industries, out-grower farmers and export.

“It has the potential to interconnect other states to be able to grow and revitalize our economy. So, we are pleased, as an organisation, to partner with the Rivers State Government to make this happen. We are committed, and we believe that it will be delivered on time and on target,” he added.

Mohammed Shosanya

Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT), Onne, Rivers state,has received KOTA CEMPAKA, the largest container ship ever to carry out full operations at Nigeria’s eastern ports.

Premium News reports that,this is the second visit of the ship to the terminal in three months.

KOTA CEMPAKA, owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), is 300 metres long, has the capacity to carry 6,600 TEUs of containers.

The ship made its first visit to the Onne Port on April 27, 2024, when it loaded and discharged over 2,000 containers full of Nigerian imports and exports.

The vessel was received on its historic second voyage on Monday August 5, 2024 by the officials of Nigerian Ports Authority and Onne Multipurpose Terminal.

“The arrival of such large vessels is part of a global trend where shipping lines are upscaling vessel sizes to achieve economies of scale and reduce transport costs for importers and exporters,” The Chief Operating Officer of (OMT) Onne, Jim Stewart said.

He expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for ensuring that the vessel was able to berth successfully.

He explained that the visit of KOTA CEMPAKA to Nigeria would support the efforts of the Federal Government to diversify the country’s economic base by boosting non-oil exports. He said it would also generate more revenues into the coffers of the government.

“Again, we are excited that this very large container ship has been able to return for the second time in three months. This is a mark of confidence in Nigeria, in Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and in the professionalism of the Onne Multipurpose Terminal.

The OMT Chief Operating Officer also commended the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho and the Port Manager of Onne Port Complex, for making the port channels navigable and for equipping the NPA harbours department to handle such large ships.

“We are proud of this milestone. We started operations only three years ago, and we are happy to contribute to reducing vessel waiting times in Onne Port while also doubling container capacity and enhancing competition to the benefit of all customers.

“We are investing in new equipment including more modern cranes to enable us handle even bigger vessels. We have also acquired trucks and lands for expansion,” he added.

Also speaking, Hussein Abdulrahmon, the Port Manager of Onne Port, who represented the Managing Director of NPA at the brief reception for the container ship, said KOTA CEMPAKA brought in more cargoes on the second voyage to the port than it did 8during its first call.

He commended OMT and other stakeholders for the successful berthing, discharging and loading of the vessel.

Mohammed Shosanya

The Nigeria Customs Area 2 Command, Onne in Rivers State,says its operatives have intercepted seven 40 feet containers ladened with smuggled codeine syrup worth over N11 billion.

Area Controller of Area 2 Command, Mohammed Babandede, made the disclosure while displaying the intercepted items to pressmen in Port on Thursday.

He said the seizure was achieved with the synergy of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other sister security agencies.

He also said the confiscation of the hard drugs was in tandem with the directive of the Comptroller of Customs,Adewale Adeniyi, to bring smuggling at the ports to a standstill.

Babandede said:“In line with the Comptroller General of Customs’ policy thrust of collaboration and consolidation, the Command on receipt of credible intelligence on some 40 feet containers sprang into action and in collaboration with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Onne Port, these containers were identified, positioned and jointly examined.

“A total of seven seized containers containing 1,054, 400 bottles of different cough syrup codeine (100ml), 9,100 pieces of Chilly Cutter, 3,175,000 tablets of Hyergra tablets (200mg) and 1,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac Pain Relief tablets (50mg) were seized.

“The above seizures is estimated at eleven billion,two Hundred million naira (N11,200,000, 000) which represents a huge loss on the part of thode involved despite the fact of a jail term that awaits any of them who will be arrested as a result of further investigation,” he added.

He expressed regrets that some Nigerians were adamant on undermining the security of the country by testing the resolve of security agencies.

He warned that the Command under his watch would not tolerate any compromise in the quest of safeguarding the economy and security of the nation.

Babandede further disclosed that the items siezed would be handed over to the relevant agencies for further investigation.

Announcing the revenue generated by the service, the Comptroller said the Command raised over N360 billion in six months translating to 50.5 percent of the annual target of 2024.

“In the area of revenue, the Command in the first half of the year generated a total of Three Hundred Billion , Ninety-Four Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty Four Naira and Fifty Eight Kobo (N312, 094, 367,124.58) which translates to 50.5 percent of the annual target given to the Command.

“As at this morning, the Command has generated Forty-Eight Billion, Fifty Six Million, Eight Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety Two Naira (48,056,806,692.00) in the month of July and we still have five working days left in the month,” he said.

Babandede noted that the Command would not rest on its oars, stressing that it would continue to increase the revenue profile while prioritising public health and safety.