… 90% of illicit drugs from W/Africa come through waterways — Customs 

By Godfrey Bivbere

Following strong enforcement presence of officers and men of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, smugglers have shifted their operations to the waterways.

This is even as the Service has said that about 90 per cent of illicit drugs coming into the country from the West African sub-region come through the waterways.

Vanguard Maritime Reporter investigations show that most contraband goods destined to Nigeria are shipped to countries in the sub region, from where they are shipped by smaller boats into the country.
Vanguard Maritime Reporter further gathered that such illegal shipments are then brought to small illegal jetties scattered across Lagos and other littoral states, where such shipments are discharged at the dead of the night.

The investigation further revealed that the smugglers who, apparently have the backing of powerful persons in the military, government and diplomatic corps, come with heavy fire power.
Vanguard Maritime Reports learnt some times, the smugglers are even escorted by government officials empowered by law to carry arms.

Recall that the Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Federal Operations Unit, FOU Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Hussein Ejibunu, in June disclosed that the Unit intercepted a truck load of Indain Hemp around Lekki area after the consignment was off-loaded from a boat from Ghana.

Vanguard Maritime Report gathered that the smuggled item from Ghana was loaded into six trucks, five of which got away before the Customs operatives arrived at the area in Lekki.

Confirming the shift in operations, Customs Area Controller, CAC of Western Marine Command, Odaudo .A. Salefu, at a recent press briefing, said about 90 per cent of Indian hemp in the country come in through the West African Sub-region.

Salefu noted that since the substance is legalized in most of the French-speaking countries in the region, they are easily moved down into Nigeria.

According to him, “It is legalised in Ghana, it is coming from there. 90 per cent of the Indian hemp we are seeing in Nigeria come from Ghana. Since we do not have the facility to go to the water, Nigeria becomes the dumping ground.”

He however assured that the Customs management under the leadership of the present Comptroller General of Customs, CGC, Adewale Adeniyi, is paying attention to the two patrol gun boats that has anchored at the Marine for some time now.

He disclosed that the new Customs boss has ordered that the two boats be refurbished and put to use this November.
He explained that by November when the two boats become operational, the Service will be able to effectively police the nation’s waterways.