The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to deploy Non-intrusive Inspection Technology, as part of effort to curb the growing surge in importation of arms and ammunitions, illicit drugs and contraband merchandise, through the nation’s ports.
This was as over 90 per cent of the intelligence agencies comprising National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Directorate of State Services (DSS), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), were conspicuously absent at the joint security press conference on Friday.
The NCS also disclosed that the first set of scanners on the trade modernisation project, manufactured by Chinese company – NORTECH Engineering Corporation Limited, are coming into Nigeria very soon.
The National Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this disclosure while responding to questions during monthly press briefing organised by Office of the National Security Adviser, and hosted by Nigeria Customs Service, under the auspices of Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee (SCIPC), of the Security and Response Agencies.
He averred that the service has concluded arrangements to man the borders using non-intrusive inspection technology, explaining that the new technology is a thorough and comprehensive inspection strategy, which performs non-destructive testing inspection on pressure equipment completely externally, eliminating the need for vessel entry during any phase of the inspection process.
“The Controller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, just came back from China and very soon the first set of scanners on that trade modernisation project are coming into Nigeria and it is manufactured by NORTECH Engineering Corporation Limited,” he said.
Speaking on the arms and ammunition intercepted in Onne Port, Maiwada, said, there are ongoing covert operations that may not be revealed to members of the press.
He however, revealed that there is significant progress in terms of arrest of even foreign collaborators in countries of origin.
“Our role is to seize. We have seized and we have handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons under the office of the National Security Adviser. The coordinator of that center recently paid a courtesy visit to the customs and said that some arrests had been made and they are closing in on those who are involved in the smuggling of these arms and ammunition,” he said.
He assured that the prosecuting authority will issue an update to members of the public at the conclusion of the investigation, stating that it’s not really time to reveal what is going on until the investigation is concluded.
On why NCS declared a state of emergency on Onne Port, Maiwada, explained: “If consistently we have seized arms and drugs in a port, the definition and the context of state of emergency is vigilance. We have a role of trade facilitation and a role to suppress smuggling. So we are going to give emphasis on suppression of smuggling over trade facilitation in a state of emergency issue. So that’s just basically the context of that word state of emergency.”
He further explained that if some items that the service needs to move under fast-track or move to bonded terminal without examination, “We are now going to examine those items 100 per cent because the consistency of importation of these kind of prohibited items are becoming alarming through Onne Port. We are not neglecting other ports though.”
When asked why personnel of the service are raiding markets under the guise of contraband merchandise, the Customs spokesperson said the CGC has categorically stated that market raids are not allowed and that personnel should not raid the market, even though the law permits them to break into any warehouse without warrant if they suspect that there are smuggled items in the warehouse.
Meanwhile, the absence of NIA, DSS, DIA and others at the joint security press conference may not be unconnected with the new public communication policy of some of the intelligence agencies, with particular reference to the DSS.
The former spokesperson of the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, re-echoed this policy direction of the new Director General of DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, while addressing a press conference to announce his exit as the image maker of the service, after 10 years of meritorious outing.
The incumbent DG had on assumption of office on 28th August, 2024, pledged to refocus the service towards covertness and likelihood of studied silence over certain matters.
Other intelligence agencies may have also activated the same policy, as this was the first time in 2024, that over 90 per cent of the spokesperson of the undercover agencies will buycott, the joint press conference.
Ajayi had explained that the return to the culture of opaqueness in dealing with the public, particularly the media, especially as it relates to information sharing, was in line with global best practices in intelligence operations.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force, have vowed to mop up arms and ammunition in the hands of non-state actors, as part of effort to curtail growing insecurity across the federation.
Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this while responding to questions directed to the police, during the monthly press conference.
He noted that the ban on use of firearms by private individual and non-state actors in Nigeria is still in force.
Adejobi also warned the public against the evil device of gunrunner who may claim to have a link with the police to facilitate a license for the use of arms for private individuals in the country, insisting that the embargo on licensing of firearms by the police was still subsisting.
“If you want to get your personal arms, you need to wait until the government lifts the ban on the use of arms by non-state actors. having possession of these prohibited firearms in whatever way, whether personal firearms, or otherwise, you must process your license first. Unfortunately, we are not issuing licenses for now. And don’t be deceived. There are certain individuals who will go and backdate licenses and give to you. It’s still fake,” the police spokesperson said.
He advised the public not to allow anybody to lead them into committing criminal offences, particularly when it comes to the issue of arms, stressing “It’s no longer business as usual. We are going to take it more seriously, and we are going to go after those who are in possession of arms illegally.”
Noting that enough is enough, Adejobi said, “We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism, vandalism, or anything that will run down our system and affect the sovereignty of Nigeria as a collective heritage for all of us in this country.”
He said the Customs Service has been intercepting illegal importation of arms to the country, and have handed the same over to the appropriate authority.
Also, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), debunked the viral video of poor feeding of inmates across its facilities in the federation.
Spokesperson of the Service, Abubakar Umar, who discredited the viral video, while responding to question on the subject matter, also stated that the video is not a true reflection of the situation on ground.
He however, added that the matter is being investigated on the order of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
He further explained that the feeding allowance for inmates across the federation was reviewed upward by 50 per cent in August.
Unfortunately, the Nigerian Police Force and Nigeria Immigration Service, could not provide answers on whether the Briton, Andrew Wynne, was residing legally or illegally in the country before fleeing and being declared wanted by the police for allegedly plotting to topple President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Linus Aleke and James Emejo
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