The Nigeria Customs Service said it had given the importer of
the military wares which allegedly belong to the government of Kogi
State, a 30-day ultimatum, to produce the End-User Certificate from
the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Mr. Joseph Attah,
confirmed this during a telephone interview with one of our
correspondents on Saturday.
The Service had confiscated the items at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport in Abuja.
The imported items include 100 pieces of military camouflage, 26
pieces of military camouflage jungle boots, 20 pieces of plastic
knives, 24 pieces of black bullet proof vests, and 28 black boxing
gloves.
Others are 26 pieces of arctic hunter bags, 40 pieces of
training mats, 20 pieces of black batons, 100 pieces of black
T-shirts, 31 pieces of protective glasses, 25 pieces of black
sunglasses and 29 pieces of black uniform belts
Attah told one of our correspondents that the agent, who
imported the items, had been identified.
He said when contacted, the agent claimed that he was in
possession of the End-User certificate, which is usually issued by
the National Security Adviser.
Attah said based on the claim of the agent, he had yet to be
arrested as the service was still conducting investigations.
He explained that the agent had been asked to produce the
End-User Certificate within 30 days and that if he fails to do so,
after the ultimatum, the items would be forfeited to the Federal
Government.
He said, “We have identified the agent who imported the items
and he claimed that he had the End-User Certificate.
“We have asked him to produce it. He has 30 days to do that. If
after the expiration of the 30 days period, then the imported items
would be forfeited to the Federal Government.”
Senator Dino Melaye had, on Thursday, raised the alarm that the
Kogi State government was behind the military items illegally
imported into the country.
A source within the Kogi State Government, however, described
the entire incident as ‘bad politics’.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous because he wasn’t
authorised to speak on the matter, admitted that some military
items and security gadgets were imported for Kogi State
Government’s use.
He, however, denied reports that military uniforms were brought
in.
The source said, “We planned to buy vehicles and lace them with
security gadgets, GSM security jamming system, bulletproof etc. So,
we engaged a security firm, which helped us to procure the gadgets
for the Kogi State Government and they required an end-user
certificate to bring them in.
“The governor wrote to the National Security Adviser over three
weeks ago for the end-user certificate and we have evidence. The
NSA is working on it even though it hasn’t been issued.
“However, the consignment came in before the end-user
certificate was ready. So, when the gadgets came in, the Customs
challenged us and asked the owner of the equipment to come forward
and the governor has sent his officials to the airport to claim the
goods.
“We didn’t import any uniform. We have the letter of the
contract award.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has described the
linking of the alleged illegal importation of military items to the
All Progressive Congress interests, particularly in Kogi State, as
revealing.
The PDP said Nigerians had been wondering how weapons and other
military equipment got into the hands of marauders, who had been
ravaging the nation, adding that the discovery could be an
unfolding development, into which an open investigation must be
conducted.
It also expressed fears that the development could be part of
the alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress to compromise the
nation’s security system and set the stage for the intimidation of
Nigerians during the 2019 general election.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr.
Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja on Saturday, also asked the Presidency
and military high command to immediately come out with explanations
to Nigerians on how Governor Yayaha Bello of Kogi State allegedly
secured the permission to import military items, a function
exclusively under the purview of the Presidency and the
military.
He said, “From the reports so far, it appears that we are now
having a clue into how weapons and other military equipment being
used by marauders and criminals to ravage and murder our citizens
are illegally sneaked into the country and by which interest.”
The Nigeria Customs Service said it had given the importer of
the military wares which allegedly belong to the government of Kogi
State, a 30-day ultimatum, to produce the End-User Certificate from
the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Mr. Joseph Attah,
confirmed this during a telephone interview with one of our
correspondents on Saturday.
The Service had confiscated the items at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport in Abuja.
The imported items include 100 pieces of military camouflage, 26
pieces of military camouflage jungle boots, 20 pieces of plastic
knives, 24 pieces of black bullet proof vests, and 28 black boxing
gloves.
Others are 26 pieces of arctic hunter bags, 40 pieces of
training mats, 20 pieces of black batons, 100 pieces of black
T-shirts, 31 pieces of protective glasses, 25 pieces of black
sunglasses and 29 pieces of black uniform belts
Attah told one of our correspondents that the agent, who
imported the items, had been identified.
He said when contacted, the agent claimed that he was in
possession of the End-User certificate, which is usually issued by
the National Security Adviser.
Attah said based on the claim of the agent, he had yet to be
arrested as the service was still conducting investigations.
He explained that the agent had been asked to produce the
End-User Certificate within 30 days and that if he fails to do so,
after the ultimatum, the items would be forfeited to the Federal
Government.
He said, “We have identified the agent who imported the items
and he claimed that he had the End-User Certificate.
“We have asked him to produce it. He has 30 days to do that. If
after the expiration of the 30 days period, then the imported items
would be forfeited to the Federal Government.”
Senator Dino Melaye had, on Thursday, raised the alarm that the
Kogi State government was behind the military items illegally
imported into the country.
A source within the Kogi State Government, however, described
the entire incident as ‘bad politics’.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous because he wasn’t
authorised to speak on the matter, admitted that some military
items and security gadgets were imported for Kogi State
Government’s use.
He, however, denied reports that military uniforms were brought
in.
The source said, “We planned to buy vehicles and lace them with
security gadgets, GSM security jamming system, bulletproof etc. So,
we engaged a security firm, which helped us to procure the gadgets
for the Kogi State Government and they required an end-user
certificate to bring them in.
“The governor wrote to the National Security Adviser over three
weeks ago for the end-user certificate and we have evidence. The
NSA is working on it even though it hasn’t been issued.
“However, the consignment came in before the end-user
certificate was ready. So, when the gadgets came in, the Customs
challenged us and asked the owner of the equipment to come forward
and the governor has sent his officials to the airport to claim the
goods.
“We didn’t import any uniform. We have the letter of the
contract award.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has described the
linking of the alleged illegal importation of military items to the
All Progressive Congress interests, particularly in Kogi State, as
revealing.
The PDP said Nigerians had been wondering how weapons and other
military equipment got into the hands of marauders, who had been
ravaging the nation, adding that the discovery could be an
unfolding development, into which an open investigation must be
conducted.
It also expressed fears that the development could be part of
the alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress to compromise the
nation’s security system and set the stage for the intimidation of
Nigerians during the 2019 general election.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr.
Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja on Saturday, also asked the Presidency
and military high command to immediately come out with explanations
to Nigerians on how Governor Yayaha Bello of Kogi State allegedly
secured the permission to import military items, a function
exclusively under the purview of the Presidency and the
military.
He said, “From the reports so far, it appears that we are now
having a clue into how weapons and other military equipment being
used by marauders and criminals to ravage and murder our citizens
are illegally sneaked into the country and by which interest.”
Read more https://nairalaw.com/kogi-military-items-customs-issue-ultimatum-to-importer/