Nigerian Govt Declares Emergency at Onne Port Amid Rising Arms Importation

The Federal Government has declared a state of emergency at the Onne Port in Rivers State due to recurring incidents of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition, being imported through the port.

Effective immediately, emergency protocols will be implemented at Onne Port for the next three months, involving comprehensive examinations of all suspected containers.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi announced the measures while unveiling recent seizures by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Adeniyi expressed concern over the port’s misuse for dangerous and illicit cargo, saying, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port.”

He added, “The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago.”

The Customs Chief revealed that the seizures included twelve containers of illicit goods. He said, “Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination.”

The seized items included one 40-foot container with 4,800 pairs of military camouflage rain boots and 67,320 pairs of various rubber footwear, valued at N923,040,000. Other significant seizures included three 40-foot containers with 562,600 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, worth N4,716,573,846.

Adeniyi further detailed that other containers held 380,000 bottles of cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, and various other drugs, totaling N17,432,506,000 in value. Additionally, five more containers contained 892,400 bottles of cough syrup with codeine and other items, valued at N8,128,568,295.90.

“These interceptions bring the total Duty Paid Value of the 12 seized containers to a staggering N31,200,688,142,” Adeniyi noted. He emphasized that the issue extends beyond Customs to national security, calling for public cooperation in providing intelligence on illicit activities.

Effective immediately, the emergency protocols will involve thorough examinations of all containers at Onne Port. Adeniyi assured, “This measure is not aimed at disrupting lawful trade. Our goal is to create a safer, more secure environment for genuine business activities to thrive.”

He commended the officers for their efforts and reiterated the Customs Service’s commitment to combatting smuggling and the illegal importation of harmful goods, saying, “We will remain steadfast in our duties to ensure that our nation remains a safe place for all to thrive.”