Customs Decries Increased Exportation of Prohibited Items at Lagos Ports

Eromosele Abiodun
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command, has stated that some Nigerians are taking advantage of the federal government’s move to diversify the economy to export prohibited items from the seaports.
Customs Area Comptroller (CAC), Apapa Command, Jibrin Muhammed disclosed this in a chat with journalists in Lagos. He stated that his command has stepped up measures to ensure that all goods leaving the shores of Nigeria are properly vetted so as to save the country from needless embarrassment.
The comptroller therefore, charged prospective exporters of made in Nigeria products and other raw materials to come to Apapa Command for their exports.
Specifically, he said: “We have intercepted and detained some export containers of scrap metals, wet blue (leather) and unprocessed wood which in under export prohibition in the extant laws.”
“Investigations are ongoing and sanctions will be applied in line with extant laws. However, the seized pharmaceuticals will be handed over to National Agency for Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).”
He stated that he was ready to facilitate export trade considering the country’s economic state and the federal government efforts at diversifying the nation’s economy through encouragement of exportation of agricultural products.
Speaking on measures put in place to enforce the ease of doing business in the country, he said the command created a functional customs examination centre to facilitate trade.
Jubrin said creating the examination centre was to implement the federal government’s directive on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. Read more