Illegal Arms: Importers Make False Declaration -NCS

The Federal Operation Unit ( FOU ) of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Wednesday, told a Federal High Court in Lagos of how five illegal importers smuggled 661 sophisticated pump action guns and made false declaration in Customs Forms to bring in the arms into the country.

The NCS, June 14, last year arraigned  two Customs Officers, Muhmud Hassan and Salisu Abdulahi Danjuma, alongside Oscar Orkafor, Donatus Ezebunwa Achinulo and Matthew Okoye, before Justice Ayotunde Faji’s court, on charge bordering on illegal importation of fire arms, conspiracy, forgery and altering of documents, offering of graft to government officials and importation of prohibited goods.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) alleged that the all the accused persons conspired with one another to illegally import into Nigeria 661 Pump Action Rifles.

They were also alleged to have forged the documents which includes: two Bill of Ladings, one reads ‘Shanghai China’, as Port of Loading, instead of ‘Istanbul’, and another one which reads: ‘Steel Doors’, as the contents of the container instead oIm Customs’ Form M, Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) used in smuggling the the said 661 rifles Into the country.

One of the Customs Officials, Mahmud Hassan, was alleged to corruptly offered the sum of N400, 000.00, to one Aliu Musa, the Examination Officer of the Federal Operation Unit of the Customs Service with an intent to prevent hundred percent search on a container marked PONU 825914/3, which was used in bringing into the country the said arms.

He was also alleged to have corruptly gave the sum of N1 million to Government officials at Apapa Port, through his colleague, Danjuma Abdulahi, in order to prevent the searching of the said container used in bringing in the 661 illegally imported Pump Action rifles.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Julius Ajakaiye,  are contrary to  to and punishable under sections 3(6),1(14)(a)(I) 1(2) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. And section 98(1) (b) of the Criminal Code Act.

At the resumed trial of the accused persons, an Assistant Comptroller  Of Customs of Federal Operation Unit of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Mr. A. M. Adamu while being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr. Ajakaiye, told the court how the accused persons were arrested, and how the case was reported to the Department of State Security (DSS).

Adamu informed the court that the importers apart from paying less duty, also lied in Customs declaration Form.

The head of FOU, said, "the total duty value for the items was $200, 000 USD, but in the declaration, what was laid was $150, 000 USD. They also declared that the good originated from China and Turkey’.

The witness stated further that "the importers listed 100 pieces of steel doors, 225 packages of steel doors valued at $13, 364 USD, at the exchange rate of N305 to one Dollar.

"I discovered a lots of discrepancies in Customs Declaration forms, each documents tells different stories’, the Customs Chief stated.

Adamu also told the court that, after his investigation, he informed the Comptroller-General of Customs, who directed him to DSS for further investigation, where he also made a statement. Further hearing in the case continues Thursday.