Why Nigerian Customs Ordered Closure Of NAHCO And SAHCOL Warehouses In Lagos

<strong><em>Customs Comptroller-General, Abdullahi Inde</em> </strong>

Real reasons have emerged why the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), Dikko Inde Abdullahi, directed the closure of two cargo warehouses belonging to the Skyways Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Aviance) Plc.

However, it was officially stated that the closure was necessitated due to what Abdullahi as the failure of SAHCOL and NAHCOL to explain why goods were taken out of the warehouses without proper documentation. The Customs also said the two organisations had consistently failed to produce customs release documentation and evidence of payment of import duty and other statutory charges.

Meanwhile, P.M. EXPRESS gathered that it was a report from Cobalt International Services, a registered pre-shipment agent of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that was acted on by the Nigerian Customs prompted the unexpected shutdown of the two cargo warehouses.

This newspaper learnt that a supervisor with Cobalt International Services, Mr Akintola Michael, was posted to supervise and inspect all shipments at the NAHCO and SAHCOL cargo handling, In the process, Akintola discovered some tonnages of export goods and requested for all the necessary documents from the Shipper and informed the Customs officer in charge not to release the cargo to be shipped.

But despite all warnings, on Monday 9 September 2013, the cargo was exported. Sources, however, confirmed that this was not the first time such was happening.

Upon discovery that the cargo had been exported despite his warning, Akintola escalated the report to Cobalt International Services’ Head Office in Abuja and to the Customs’ Comptroller General, Mr Dikko Abdullahi who ordered the closure of the two sheds on 10 September 2013 and summoned the officers involved to Abuja’s Customs Headquarters immediately.

The Customs officers were reportedly reshuffled and while some were dismissed,

P.M. EXPRESS’ findings, however, revealed that Akintola had not found it easy since the incident happened as some of those affected have been threatening him. This prompted his office to withdraw him and post him out of the area.