Hameed Ali’s Customs rejects N150m bribe over illegal pharmaceutical import to save Nigerians’ lives

*As Command intercepts 40 containers of tramadol, aircraft

*Customs/NAFDAC cooperation made it happen – Ali

*Nigerians hail Buhari over choice of CG

*Say “We now know they wanted Ali, Magu sacked”

*Wonder elected Senators took lead in defending the criminals

*This is what the criminals and their defending lawyers, journalists call obstruction of Ease of Doing Business – Respondent

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

“It is indeed worrisome to note that there are Nigerians who are ready to make money at the expense of human lives by bringing in such quantity of drugs that have grave consequences on health and national security.”

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) during the week further proved strength against some Nigerians, who are bent on making wealth at the expense of lives of others, as it damned advances to be induced with bribe.

Specifically on Thursday November 22, 2018, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), said the Apapa command of the service intercepted and subsequently ceased 40-footer containers numbering 40 bearing pharmaceutical products including the outlawed tramadol with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N7.31 billion.

In order to get away with the criminal approach to doing such business, bribe to the tune of N150 million was said to have been offered the customs officers on duty but which they rejected and insisted on enforcement.

Col. Ali disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Lagos on the development.

According to him, the service is able to achieve the feat through vigilance and intelligence gathering within the system as well as information from the National Agency for Foods, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a strong ally of the NCS.

”I commend the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye and her management team for their collaboration in the attainment of the interception.

“It is indeed worrisome to note that there are Nigerians who are ready to make money at the expense of human lives by bringing in such quantity of drugs that have grave consequences on health and national security.

“In the criminal desperation, importers of these items offered bribes to the tune of N150 million to my officers to effect the release of just one 40ft container with promises of even bigger sums to follow in the event that their attempt succeeds.

“The officers played along and eventually arrested three suspects with the money,” Ali said.

He reiterated that the ongoing interception of Tramadol and other pharmaceutical products with the bribe and the three suspects would be thoroughly investigated, to bring all those remotely connected to justice.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently uncovered 340 million Tramadol tablets in 12 containers at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

The tablets, which were in various dosages, ranged from 120 milligrammes to 250 milligrammes, were recovered from 12 containers at the Port.

The Comptroller-General said officers of the Apapa command and the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, turned down $412,000 worth of bribe money offered them.

Ali said that Apapa command, within the same period, had also seized two aircraft, a helicopter with Registration number SN-BLI which was intended for export, in container number PONU7789246.

He said that it was falsely declared as 388 barges of cashew nuts, adding that the action violated section 36 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), Cap C45, LFN 2004 and investigation was ongoing to fish out the owner.

He explained that the second aircraft, a Cesena 182A imported from the U.S. was declared through SGD NO. C130308.

He said it was seized because of the failure of the owners to present End User Certificate from the office of the National Security Officer and approval from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

According to him, this is a contravention of Section 46 of CEMA, Cap C45, LPN 2004.

Ali expressed concern about the importation of tramadol and other illicit items which posed great risk to the security and health of Nigerians.

“We are all aware of the dangers that the deliberate non-compliance with import and export procedures pose to our nation as importers bring in all manner of items which put the security and health of the nation at great risk.

“Terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements get hold of these uncustoms goods such as controlled drugs to perpetrate their heinous activities.

“It is worrisome to note that there are Nigerians who are ready to make money at the expense of human lives by bringing in such quantity of drugs that have grave consequences on health and national security.

“The Service is making concerted efforts to ensure that maximum revenue is collected and also to safeguard the security and well-being of the citizenry, “ he said.

“While the seizures of dangerous drugs and aircraft demonstrate NCS crucial contributions to national economy, security and well-being of Nigerians, the rejection of N150 million bribe, presents a picture of a reformed NCS whose operatives are increasingly putting national interest above selves.

He gave an assurance that investigation was ongoing to bring all those remotely connected to justice.

Ali also commended the Commander, NNS Beecroft Naval Base Apapa, Commodore Eyo as well as Commissioner of Police, Western Marine Command and his men for providing enabling environment.

He, however, commended the Customs Area Controllers of Apapa and the Federal Operation Units Zone ‘A’ as well as officers and men of the commands for their exemplary commitment to duty.

Ali urged the importers to embrace honest declaration to reduce time of cargo clearance and facilitate trade.

In the meantime, Nigerians, who recalled how the Nigerian Senate would have cost them integrity/patriotism-based Customs CG like Col. Hameed Ali, have applauded the good work of him as instilled in his officers and men.

One of them said, “Today, we can clearly day Nigeria is now getting out of situation where maritime related or induced calamities befall Nigeria and Nigerians due to the selfishness of customs officers who let in all manner of imports mainly weapons of mass destruction used by people to kill other people. That has reduced.

“Gone now are days when killers drugs entered Nigeria without governments of the past doing anything about it and in the end, Nigerians died as a result of fake and substandard drugs because some customs officers would have taken bribe to get the cleared.

“It is not clear why they wanted Col. Ali sacked by Buhari. But we must thank President Buhari fr insisting on retaining him just like he did on Ibrahim Magu of EFCC. We now know that they wanted those men of integrity and commit State growth and people’s good lives out because they were making life hard for their criminal businesses. Why our Senators were leading lights in that defence of crimes remains an issue to worry about.”

Another respondent noted, “This is what they call obstructing Ease of Doing Business by the Maritime Police Command. Recall recently, a lawyer fronting for these syndicates published a complaint TO GO Osinbajo and IGP Idris saying Maritime Police men were obstructing EODB at Lagos ports. It took the Command to tell how they hide behind EODB to undermine Nigerian national security and import contraband into the country for many to see the truth.”