The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Sambo Dangaladima during a press briefing, said that the transfer was in accordance with the extant laws that govern Agencies and their responsibilities and interdepartmental cooperation.
However, the Command handed the 679 sets of drones and 638 packages of various military wares to the representatives of the Nigerian Army; 108 packages of Tramadol (225mg) containing 4,492,650 tablets and 78 packages of Dry Khat to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) received the 315 packages of various non-compliant pharmaceutical products.
The CAC said that the drones and other military wares/uniforms were seized because they are the exclusives of the military to import such items, the Tramadol tablets were seized because they are above the permitted threshold by law in Nigeria.
He added that the Dry Khat is totally prohibited, the non-compliant pharmaceutical products were seized because they are suspected to be fake drugs without NAFDAC registration/approval certificates.
“These items were imported with various AWBs at different dates/period from different ports of origin, enroute different ports to Lagos as final destination. We have on record 34 AWBS of Tramadol that are from India as port of Origin, 17 of them came into Lagos enroute Addis-Ababa.
“One came in enroute Hong Kong while the rest came from Addis-Ababa to Lagos as final destination. The non-compliant pharmaceuticals are from Pakistan but came into Lagos enroute Dubai and Addis-Ababa,” he said:
Meanwhile, he said the Command also made a total of N16,850,376,224.1 as revenue from January to March 29, 2022, as against N12,603,336,480.07 in the same period in 2021, which indicates a 4,247,039,743.5 increase.
He hinted that from March 1 to 29, 2022, the Command generated the sum of N6,690,005,148.78, adding that they are sure of reaching N7 billion by March 31; as against N5.01 billion in the same period in 2021.
He, therefore, appreciated the dutifulness of officers and men of the Command, stakeholders and the seamless cooperation of other security Agencies in MMAC, adding that it is headed for the best by the grace of God, with the sustenance and improved synergy it presently enjoys.
“The officers and men of MMAC are duty bound to ensure that the set objectives of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) is achieved. In line with this, they work assiduously round the clock and in synergy, to come about this proliferation of seizures in this Command.
“We at M.M Airport Cargo, place the security of this Nation and good health of the citizenry as a topmost priority: even as we discharge our statutory responsibilities as Customs officers.
“We are poised to bring about a safer, saner Nigeria and more revenue for the Service in total compliance to the directives of the Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), for the achievement of the focal objectives of his administration,” he said.