Customs intercept 450 drums of explosives in Ogun

The Nigeria Customs Service said it intercepted 450 drums of calcium carbide enroute Aba in Abia State from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State in January.

The Customs Area Controller in charge of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja, Hussein Ejibunnu, at the unit headquarters in Ikeja on Wednesday, said the explosives weighed 106kilograms each.

He also said the explosives had a duty-paid value of N24m.

Ejibunnu however said the duty-paid value of the seized goods within the period under review is N517m while N86m was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of demand notices for underpaid Customs duties.

The Customs Zone A boss stated that the consignments are still under detention pending when the importer provides the necessary documents.

He said, “This is calcium carbade about 450 drums weighing 106kg each with street value of N24m. The status of of this is still under detention because the owner said he has an end-user certificate for it so we are waiting for the presentation of the EUC. It was intercepted at Ijebu-Ode on its way to Aba.”

The FOU A custom boss said the failure of the importer to produce the EUC within the time frame, the service won’t have any other choice than to do what the law says. “And we have to prosecute the person.”