Customs Impound Drums Of Explosives, N3.1bn Contraband From Benin Republic

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS), on Tuesday, intercepted 42 drums of calcium carbide
smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic. Security experts
have warned that if calcium carbide gets into the wrong hands, it
can be used to make explosives to bring down a building especially
when some chemical components are added to it.

The Unit also said that the Service is backed by section 158 of
Customs Excise and Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45, LFN 2004 as
amended to patrol and search everywhere without restrictions while
section 147 of the same CEMA empower the service to enter any
premises without search warrant provided there is credible
information about contraband deposited therein.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday evening, the acting Customs
Area Controller of the unit, Compt Usman Yahaya, stated that aside
from calcium carbide, the unit also seized contraband worth
N3.1billion, raised Demand Notice (DN) worth N242million.

The CAC who said the unit acted based on credible intelligence
disclosed that the explosives were smuggled into the country
through the porous borders under the Ogun State Command of the
service.

He said: “We intercepted the 42 drums of calcium carbide through
intelligence gathering. The contrabands were in a truck and
concealed with cassava tubers and flakes. They thought with the
concealment, they can evade the eagle eye of our officers.

“The explosives ingredients were intercepted at Sango-Ota axis
and then, we know the items are coming from the Benin Republic
through the unapproved routes. Calcium carbide is on the list of
contrabands because it is dangerous to the nation if it gets to the
hands of bad elements.”

Yahaya also disclosed that the unit has set up an investigation
to know where the explosives are headed.

“The calcium carbide weight 106KG in 42 drums with a Duty Paid
Value (DPV) of N105million. I can assure you that the smugglers
have no good intention because if they did, they wouldn’t have
concealed and smuggled it through the border.

“Everyone should be worried about smuggling because it begets
unemployment, drug addiction, criminality, proliferating of light
and small arms, substandard goods, and so on. You can imagine what
would have happened if 42 drums of Carbide (explosives) had entered
wrong hands,” he said.

Speaking further, the CAC said the unit also intercepted 1,488
kegs (the equivalent of 33,000 litres) of Petroleum Motor Spirit
(PMS) set to be smuggled out of the country to the neighbouring
Benin Republic.

Other seizures range from bags of rice, Indian hemp, textiles
material, cartons of tramadol, second hand clothing among
others.

“Within the period of 9th February 2021 till date, the Unit
recorded seizures of 20,538 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 3,106
cartons of frozen poultry product; 1,488 kegs of PMS at 25 litres
each; 1,035 bales of second-hand clothing.

“77 cartons of tin tomatoes; 2,843.6 kg of Indian Hemp; 877
bundles of printed wax/textile materials; 29 different brands of
used vehicles; 2,969 cartons of Eva soap; 42 drums of calcium
carbide (explosives); 549 cartons of Tramadol and 12 units of used
motorcycles with DPV of N3.1billion.

“In the area of interventions regarding Demand Notices arising
from under-payments, the unit realized N242million during the
period under review,” the acting CAC added.

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS), on Tuesday, intercepted 42 drums of calcium carbide
smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic. Security experts
have warned that if calcium carbide gets into the wrong hands, it
can be used to make explosives to bring down a building especially
when some chemical components are added to it.

The Unit also said that the Service is backed by section 158 of
Customs Excise and Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45, LFN 2004 as
amended to patrol and search everywhere without restrictions while
section 147 of the same CEMA empower the service to enter any
premises without search warrant provided there is credible
information about contraband deposited therein.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday evening, the acting Customs
Area Controller of the unit, Compt Usman Yahaya, stated that aside
from calcium carbide, the unit also seized contraband worth
N3.1billion, raised Demand Notice (DN) worth N242million.

The CAC who said the unit acted based on credible intelligence
disclosed that the explosives were smuggled into the country
through the porous borders under the Ogun State Command of the
service.

He said: “We intercepted the 42 drums of calcium carbide through
intelligence gathering. The contrabands were in a truck and
concealed with cassava tubers and flakes. They thought with the
concealment, they can evade the eagle eye of our officers.

“The explosives ingredients were intercepted at Sango-Ota axis
and then, we know the items are coming from the Benin Republic
through the unapproved routes. Calcium carbide is on the list of
contrabands because it is dangerous to the nation if it gets to the
hands of bad elements.”

Yahaya also disclosed that the unit has set up an investigation
to know where the explosives are headed.

“The calcium carbide weight 106KG in 42 drums with a Duty Paid
Value (DPV) of N105million. I can assure you that the smugglers
have no good intention because if they did, they wouldn’t have
concealed and smuggled it through the border.

“Everyone should be worried about smuggling because it begets
unemployment, drug addiction, criminality, proliferating of light
and small arms, substandard goods, and so on. You can imagine what
would have happened if 42 drums of Carbide (explosives) had entered
wrong hands,” he said.

Speaking further, the CAC said the unit also intercepted 1,488
kegs (the equivalent of 33,000 litres) of Petroleum Motor Spirit
(PMS) set to be smuggled out of the country to the neighbouring
Benin Republic.

Other seizures range from bags of rice, Indian hemp, textiles
material, cartons of tramadol, second hand clothing among
others.

“Within the period of 9th February 2021 till date, the Unit
recorded seizures of 20,538 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 3,106
cartons of frozen poultry product; 1,488 kegs of PMS at 25 litres
each; 1,035 bales of second-hand clothing.

“77 cartons of tin tomatoes; 2,843.6 kg of Indian Hemp; 877
bundles of printed wax/textile materials; 29 different brands of
used vehicles; 2,969 cartons of Eva soap; 42 drums of calcium
carbide (explosives); 549 cartons of Tramadol and 12 units of used
motorcycles with DPV of N3.1billion.

“In the area of interventions regarding Demand Notices arising
from under-payments, the unit realized N242million during the
period under review,” the acting CAC added.