Customs impounds 42 drums of explosives from Benin Republic

• Seizes N3.1b contrabands • Records $70.8m export trade in Q1 at Onne Port

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), yesterday, intercepted 42 drums of calcium carbide smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic.

Security experts have warned that calcium carbide could be used as explosives to bring down a building, especially when some chemical components are added to it.

The Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the unit, Comptroller Usman Yahaya, while displaying the explosives and other contrabands in Lagos, stated that aside from the calcium carbide, the unit also seized contrabands worth N3.1 billion and raised Demand Notice (DN) worth N242 million.

The controller, 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.

Yahaya disclosed that the unit had set up an investigation team to know where the explosives are headed but sure it was meant for a dangerous adventure.

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

In another development, Customs Area Controller (CAC) for Area II Command, Onne Port, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, said the command generated over $70.8 million from export trade in the first quarter of 2021.

He said the command also generated N38.8 billion as revenue from importation and finished goods between January and March 2021 for the Federal Government.

Mohammed, in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ifeoma Onuigbo Ojekwu, said the command processed 207,749.614 metric tonnes of cargoes with free on board value of $70,838,025.68, comprising cashew nuts, ginger, hibiscus flower, sesame seeds, zircon sand and many more.