A destroyed refinery By Favour Ifeoluwa & Akinola Ajibade The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited( NNPCL) says it has destroyed 134 illegal refineries in the last few weeks. Also, the company said 63 illegal pipeline connections were uncovered during the the weeks . The corporation, In a visual report, stated that at about 2 am on Sunday, a joint team of security agents discovered a large wooden boat illicitly loading stolen crude oil from Barge AGS01 within the OML 18 operating area, noted intelligence report a large wooden wooden boat was caught receiving crude oil from the barge. According to the state-owned oil firm, while the barge was towed away with a tugboat in custody, five speedboats used in towing the large wooden boat to the illegal loading site were also detained and the particulars of the tugboats and barge used for the operation were reportedly seized for further investigation. It further said that two large boats, which involve
By Akinola Ajibade
The Comptroller, Apapa Customs Command, AB AB Mohammed, says that the unit posted two hundred and twelve billion, five hundred and nighty two million, six hundred and eighty thousand, seven hundred naira, ninety-two kobo(212,592,680,700.99) in the first quarter of 2023.
While speaking during a media parley in Lagos yesterday ( Tuesday), Mohammed said that the revenue generated in the last three months was impressive, adding that the Command would try and improve on it subsequently.
He noted that the Command is focused on activities such as generation/ collection of revenue, suppression of smuggling and facilitating legitimate trade in the first three months of 2023.
According to him, he has been meeting stakeholders and partnered government agencies on how to sustain tempo of compliance in the ports since he took over the office as Comptroller Apapa Customs months ago.
On export trade, Mohammed said,”The command processed agricultural goods such as sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus, mineral resources, steel ingot and others with a total tonnage of 110,448 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023. Statistics from the export report shows that the exported goods are worth seventy billion, two hundred million, eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight naira, sixty-seven kobo (N70,200,829,358.67) which is equivalent to Free on Board (FOB) value of $159,845,232.84″
On anti -smuggling, Mohammed noted that the command was committed to enforcing government fiscal policies and extant laws to ensure that all import and export consignments transiting through Apapa Port are duly examined.
This, Mohammed, said happens, following effective collaboration and timely sharing of credible intelligence with sister government agencies in the port.
His words,”Within the period under review, the command made seizures of fourteen (14) containers comprising of prohibited items such as vegetable oil, footwears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value of twenty-two billion, ninety-nine million, six hundred and eighteen thousand, one hundred and eleven naira (N22,099,618,111.00).
“Members of the press, it is pertinent to mention that on Friday, 31 March 2023, we uncovered a large quantity of 225mg of tramadol tablets concealed in 2x40ft container numbers TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where one hundred and forty-three million, eight hundred thousand (143,800,000) tablets of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3 tonnes (10,386kg) that originated from India. This single seizure is valued at twenty-one billion, six hundred million naira (N21,600,000,000.00).
” We are on the look-out for those behind such unlawful importation for arrest and very soon we will track them down to face the full wrath of the law. As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty to prevent this kind of importation from entering the market to safeguard the health of the citizenry.
“Let me use this opportunity to warn perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) and other extant laws, that Apapa Command will only facilitate legitimate trade”.
He noted that since he assumed duty at the command ,he has been meeting with various stakeholders,including
importers, exporters, licensed agents, freight forwarders, and others.
” I am happy to note that these meetings are yielding good results and will be sustained in days ahead” he said.
Compt.Mohammed assured compliant traders of seamless trade facilitation.But affirmed that those others who are not compliant should not expect to enjoy any form of trade facilitation as the command is vigilant and alert to frustrate their efforts we
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