Maritime Agencies
HUGE IRONY: Nigerians Battle Hunger, Seme Customs Confiscates Beans For Export.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has once again reminded Nigerians that the Customs Act 2023 forbids illegal exportation of grains or any other food item as any activity that contravenes this provision especially in the face of crushing hunger attracts stiff sanctions.
Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme-Krake Joint Border Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi reiterated this,Tuesday, while showcasing 400 bags of intercepted beans whose networth value is N61.45million billed for illegal exportation from Nigeria to the Republic of Benin.
He recalled that as per Federal Government’s stand on this, “we need to ensure that what is being produced locally stayed within the country before we export. The new Customs Act says grains can’t be moved out of the country and when it’s done, there is a procedure which includes NXP, CCI, among others. When that is not done, any attempt to do it illegally will face the wrath of the law,” he emphasized.
“The current market price for beans is put at N120,000 or so per bag. So, if we use that as the Duty Paid Value (DPV), then we will be talking about over N61 million worth of beans. By the time we go to the market, we will be discounting for selling these and it will be sold to the members of the public at a considerably reduced price.”
The Command also showcased a total of 400 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), an equivalent of 12,000 litres with a DPV of N8,347,680. These were intercepted along the creeks on March 2, 2024.
Acting on credible intelligence, the CAC explained, the Command was swift in deploying gallant officers to the creeks to monitor real time, attempts to move those items by boat with the aim to intercept and recover the illicit products.
“They were actually being brought in in large sacks. So, we have to move them and bring them here and of course, put them back into kegs that will make them stable. We know that because of the nature of petroleum products, it’s not something that we can warehouse over a long period of time. Very shortly, we’ll start auctioning these items to members of the public, some of whom I see hanging around.
“When the auctioning takes place, the money will be paid into the coffers of the Federal Government just to account for the sale of these items.”
Bomodi regretted the challenge of tackling smugglers on water.
“Anytime they are tackled on land, they have the tendency to move to the water. We have limited capabilities on water. Even though there are resources that are there but you are talking about a very wide body of water. You are not just talking about the creeks, you are talking about the whole Atlantic and it is often difficult. But we are still ready to put all the resources we have at our disposal to ensure that practices of this nature are discouraged and discontinued.”
The CAC gave thumbs-up to leaders within the Badagry area for showing exemplary conduct.
“They have managed to create a buffer for us – the agencies of government – and the communities by explaining to them what the intentions of the government are and how they should, indeed, make efforts to cooperate with us to see that these items that pose a threat and danger to Nigeria and Nigerians do not either leave the country or come in.”
Reacting to concerns on the possibility of the smugglers fighting back as the illegal products are being evacuated, Bomodi said it is natural.
“It’s a normal practice. Anytime you have to evacuate products either PMS, rice or any other thing, there’s a threat and we are not just talking about those that are actively involved in it. Sometimes, we have certain communities that present hostile faces to us.
On the confiscated bags of beans, Comptroller Timi Bomodi disclosed that they are safe in government warehouse and would be sold to the public at a discounted rate.
Once the Customs Headquarters approves, he assured, the items would be moved to the market for sale at discounted price.
“Ordinarily, these things shouldn’t be leaving the country when we have food crisis in the country. We must ensure that that which is being produced within Nigeria is used up within Nigeria.”
“The citizens of this country come first and the government of the day is prioritizing the needs of the people and that is why the Nigeria Customs Service has undertaken this bold step to make this arrest and to ensure that these goods eventually end up at the market places where they will be distributed to Nigerians at a cost that is affordable”.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Come Tuesday, June 23, the newly elected Executive Council of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) will be inaugurated at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos with the theme
’Upholding Ethical Journalism for Maritime Development.’
The event scheduled for 10 am is expected to, among others, attract top players in the maritime, shipping, logistics, security and media sectors. Heads of key regulatory agencies and leaders of various maritime associations have also indicated interest to grace the occasion.
Chairman of the occasion is the President of the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Emmanuel Maiguwa Gankino, while renowned public relations and event management expert, Bolaji Abimbola, will deliver the keynote address.
Among dignitaries expected are the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho and the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barrister Pius Akutah Ukeyima.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, alongside chief executives of maritime agencies, captains of industry, terminal operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders and other stakeholders across the maritime value chain will also attend.
Speaking ahead of the inauguration, MARAN President, Comrade Oluyinka Onigbinde, described the event as a defining moment in the association’s quest to deepen professionalism, credibility and responsible maritime reporting.
He said the new executive would focus on strengthening the association through capacity building, constructive engagement and adherence to ethical standards, stressing that responsible journalism remains critical to transparency, accountability and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s maritime industry and the nation’s blue economy aspirations.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to maritime journalism, consistency in reporting and commitment to promoting informed discourse on Nigeria’s maritime and transport sectors, Oluyinka Onigbinde, President, Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has been honoured as Maritime Reporter of the Year, 2026.
The investiture took place during the 12th Nigerian Transport Lecture and Awards event organized by Transport Day Media.
The annual Nigerian Transport Lecture, is one of the country’s foremost gatherings of policymakers, regulators, transport operators, academics and journalists, where critical issues affecting the transport industry are examined and excellence within the sector is celebrated.
This year’s lecture on the theme “Intermodal Transportation Safety in Nigeria: Prospects, Challenges and Contributions to National Growth,” featured a keynote address by former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, who called for stronger measures to improve safety across Nigeria’s transportation system.
Onigbinde’s emergence as Maritime Reporter of the Year was widely applauded by industry stakeholders, who described the award as a fitting recognition of his years of dedication to objective, investigative and impactful maritime journalism.
Over the years, Onigbinde has built a reputation for in-depth reports, policy analyses, exclusive interviews and balanced coverage of Nigeria’s ports, shipping, customs administration, freight forwarding, logistics and the blue economy.
Aside his role as Assistant Editor of Shipping Position Daily, Onigbinde recently assumed office as President of MARAN where he has pledged to promote professionalism, strengthen collaboration between the media and maritime stakeholders, and advance credible, ethical maritime journalism in Nigeria.
Speaking shortly after receiving the award, Onigbinde expressed appreciation to the organisers for the recognition, describing it as both humbling and motivating.
He dedicated the award to members of MARAN, his colleagues at Shipping Position Daily, his mentors, industry stakeholders and everyone who has supported his journalism career over the years.
The recognition, he stated, serves as a renewed challenge to continue pursuing factual, balanced and impactful journalism that contributes to the growth and development of Nigeria’s maritime and transport sectors.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards and supporting initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, transparency safety and sustainable development within the nation’s maritime industry.
The latest recognition adds to the growing list of honours received by Onigbinde for his contributions to maritime journalism and comes at a time when he is leading MARAN with a vision centred on professionalism, capacity building and constructive engagement with stakeholders across the maritime industry.
The Transport Day Media Awards are regarded as one of the transport sector’s notable platforms for recognising individuals and organisations whose work have significantly advanced Nigeria’s transport ecosystem through policy, innovation, advocacy, operational excellence and media coverage.
Maritime Agencies
APAPA CUSTOMS’ Intelligence-led Operations Yield Massive Seizure of Cannabis Sativa, other Contrabands.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In a significant demonstration of the ability to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks striving to exploit Nigeria’s maritime entry points for illicit activities, the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Monday, intercepted a large consignment of cannabis sativa otherwise called ‘Canadian Loud’.
Recovered were 3,639 sachets of the illicit
substance, with each sachet weighing 500 grams. This brings the total weight to approximately 1,819 kilograms (1.81 as confirmed by preliminary field tests which yielded positive results for Cannabis Sativa.
The Command’s image maker, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman stated this in a release on behalf of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba .
Through her intelligence-driven monitoring, CSC Sulaiman explained, officers of the Command, working in liaison with sister agencies, successfully nabbed the drugs cleverly concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, along with several bags and drums loaded inside a container with number CAAU7569127.
”In a related development, the Command intercepted 2 x 40FT containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country. Physical examination revealed that the pharmaceutical products have varied expiry dates of 2021, 2022 and 2023 which the importers planned to relabel and reintroduce into the Nigerian market, posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers.”
”The 1 x 40FT with number PCIU8771576 contained expired pharmaceuticals including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection while 1 x 40FT container with number MRKU4961275 contained various expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets, Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.”
The seized items have a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦12,784,479,341.72k only.
The substantial seizure, the Command explained, highlights the scale of the attempted economic sabotage and underscores the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to protect national security, public health and the Nigerian economy through intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
Commenting on the seizures, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba warned unpatriotic importers and their collaborators who deliberately engage in smuggling, drug trafficking and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals, declaring them as enemies of Nigeria’s progress.
”We have the intelligence, the technology and the resolve to identify and apprehend them. Anyone still contemplating these criminal acts should immediately desist because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising. Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and public health endangerment,” the CAC warned.
Assuring that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, he further warned that the entire officers of the Command remain resolute in protecting the Nigerian economy, safeguarding public health and preventing criminal exploitation of the nation’s borders.
The CAC restated the Command’s commitment to intensify intelligence-driven operations in order to protect lives, secure legitimate trade and uphold national security.
MARAN Makes History June 23 as it Inaugurates New Leadership.
MARAN President, Oluyinka Onigbinde, Bags ‘Maritime Reporter of the Year’ Award.
APAPA CUSTOMS’ Intelligence-led Operations Yield Massive Seizure of Cannabis Sativa, other Contrabands.
Greg Ogbeifun, Warredi Enisuoh, Task FG on Shipping Development as Platform Communications Marks 10th Anniversary.
Capt Warredi Enisuoh Set To Deliver Keynote Speech At 10th AMSAY Conference.
Ports Police Seek Stronger Media Collaboration to Boost Maritime Security.
New MARAN Leadership Set for Inauguration, June 23.
NIMASA Urges Ethical Journalism, Stronger Media Partnership to Drive Blue Economy Growth. …As MARAN condoles agency over staff’s Death.
CHANGE OF BATON at PTML Customs, Miko Replaces Joe Anani.
Comptroller Anani Succeeds ACG Onyeka as Tincan Customs CAC, Pledges to Build on Lofty Achievements.
REPORTER’S DIARY: How Lagos State Task Force Made Me ‘Igbobi Landlord’ For Filming Operatives Extorting Suspected ‘Okada’ Operators In Apapa*
Tantita Donates 15 Gun Boats to Nigerian Army, Navy.
ANLCA Harps on Responsible Reportage, Pledges Support for New MARAN Exco,
Tincan Customs, NDLEA Promise Hard Times for Drug Peddlers, Seize N16,694bn worth of Cannabis Indica .
MARAN Seeks Strategic Partnership With NPA on Port Modernisation, Capacity Building
OGUN AREA 1 CUSTOMS Dares Smugglers, Confiscates Contrabands Worth N6.7Bn in 5 Weeks.
1. EXECUTIVE PLATFORM. AMES 2024: TIME TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS SHIPPING DEVELOPMENT IS NOW, AMES President Charges FG.
2023 ELECTIONS：CILT Hosts Seminar on Logistics & Electoral Process
APFFLON Seeks Immediate Reform of CRFFN, Replacement of Registrar.
B’ODOGWU TRADE PORTAL: Customs Consolidates, Pilots Form ‘M’ Processing.
OMIS AWARDS, 2022: Greg Ogbeifun, Industry Gurus For Special Recognition.
JANUARY-MAY REPORT: Seme Customs Hits N2.6bn, Facilitates ₦35.1bn Exports.
HALF YEAR, 2024: Apapa Customs Nets ₦1.024 Trillion, Records 143% Increase.
PHOTO NEWS: Maritime Capacity Development
FG Set To Re-establish National Shipping Line, To Take Advantage of $10 bn Annual Ship Charter Market.
Photo News: Salah Celebration
B’Odogwu: Apapa Customs Collects ₦161b in 3 Weeks, Assures of Improvements .
Sylvanus Ekpo, ex-Editor, Shipping World Magazine, loses Mum
Mama Theresa Enisuoh Due For Burial April 27
WAR AGAINST OIL THEFT: Tompolo’s Company Nabs VLCC Laden With Crude Oil
MAN, ORON: It’s Encomiums Galore From International Seabed Authority (ISA).
SIFAX GROUP: Ojeniyi Becomes Sky Capital GMD, Omajuwa Strategy Director.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoNew MARAN Leadership Set for Inauguration, June 23.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoCHANGE OF BATON at PTML Customs, Miko Replaces Joe Anani.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoNIMASA Urges Ethical Journalism, Stronger Media Partnership to Drive Blue Economy Growth. …As MARAN condoles agency over staff’s Death.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoPorts Police Seek Stronger Media Collaboration to Boost Maritime Security.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoCapt Warredi Enisuoh Set To Deliver Keynote Speech At 10th AMSAY Conference.
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Maritime Agencies1 week agoGreg Ogbeifun, Warredi Enisuoh, Task FG on Shipping Development as Platform Communications Marks 10th Anniversary.
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Maritime Agencies3 days agoMARAN President, Oluyinka Onigbinde, Bags ‘Maritime Reporter of the Year’ Award.
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Maritime Agencies7 days agoAPAPA CUSTOMS’ Intelligence-led Operations Yield Massive Seizure of Cannabis Sativa, other Contrabands.