The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday declared two imported containers worth millions of naira missing while they were on transit in Lagos.
NCS said the two missing containers were released from the nation’s largest container and logistics terminal, APT, and were on transit to a bonded terminal in Lagos.
The NCS Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja, Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, who made this revelation at the weekend, explained that “Three containers left APM Terminals for a bonded terminal in Lagos. They all got to the bonded terminal but later disappeared from the terminal. When my officers went on the trail of the missing containers, one of the missing containers was seen on the road being trans-loaded into two smaller trucks by some people. The two trucks and that container have been brought to our office and they are here with us as I speak.
“It was discovered that several sacks of second-hand clothing which form the bulk of the content of the container were being trans-loaded into the two trucks.”
Mr Ejibunu said the investigation also showed that the customs officer who escorted the containers from APM delivered them to the bonded terminal, where they disappeared.
He further said, “However, how the two containers disappeared from the bonded terminal is what we are still investigating. The two containers’ whereabouts are yet unknown as we speak, and we are on top of the situation. The OC of the bonded terminal has confirmed to us that the containers got to the terminal. He, however, said he did not know how the containers left the off-dock terminal. We are currently on the trail of the two missing containers.”
A senior customs officer who does not want his name in print said some staff of the bonded terminal had been arrested.
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