[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has called for immediate passage of the three other components of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, who made the call in a statement in Lagos on Thursday, said that the union was worried over the delay in passing the other aspects of the bill. He said, “The delay in passing the three other components of the bill namely, the Fiscal Framework, Host Communities Issues and the Petroleum Industry Administration Bill gives cause for concern.

“The nation has lost billions of naira in foreign investments, which would have come into the oil and gas industry but for the uncertainties and delay in the passage of the bill into law.”

Akporeha explained that the passage of the bill would go a long way in ensuring transparency and honesty in the oil and gas sector.He argued that passage of the remaining components of the PIB would restore investors’ confidence, generate employment opportunities and reduce tension in the Niger Delta.

Akporeha pleaded with the National Assembly to pass the bill without further delay and to address all labour issues that might arise from the unbundling, to save the nation from industrial unrest.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) with headquarters at Ikeja, Lagos has arrested a total of fourteen (14) suspects in connection with one hundred and twenty-five (125) seizures made by the Unit between the period of April 10^th to May 15^th, 2018.

The Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba who disclosed this in a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday stated that the unit intercepted various contraband and other goods on detention with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of one billion, ten million, two hundred and ninety-five thousand, six hundred and sixty-six naira, two kobo (N1,010,295,666.2).

Mohammed also said that the unit through its interventions recorded twenty-eight million, eight hundred and sixty thousand, seven hundred and eighty-eight naira (N28,860,788.00) from underpayments making a cumulative of one billion, thirty-nine million, one hundred and fifty-six thousand, four hundred and fifty-four naira (N1,039,156,454.00) within the period under review.

He listed the detained/seized items to include; 30 exotic vehicles including 7 Toyota Hilux (2018 models), 3 Toyota Prado Jeeps (2017 models), 1 Range Rover, 1 Ford Edge (2015 model), 5,516 bags of foreign parboiled rice (about 6 trailers), 1,078 cartons of frozen poultry products, 216 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 173 bales of used clothing, 683 pieces of used tyres, 8 sacks of Indian Hemp weighing 134kg among others.

The CAC further listed two containers with no: MSKU130295/2 and MRKU877714/0 gad been seized for false declaration with a DPV of over 25 million naira alone.

“Let me commend the officers and men of the unit for living up to their statutory responsibilities in suppression of smuggling, blocking all revenue leakages and enhancing trade facilitation towards sustaining best international standards. We have remained unflinching with our mandates and no amount of distraction will deter us from performing our statutory duties. We will continue to make this zone uncomfortable for smugglers to operate and urge every Nigerian to be patriotic and report any smuggling activities in their areas o the service and any intelligence provided will be treated in confidence”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Customs Area Controller of FOU, Zone A, Comptroller Uba Garba Mohammed has hinted that following court processes and condemnation, the Presidential Committee on IDPs chaired by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) had approved the evacuation of some seized items to the Borno State Government for distribution to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport (NACST).

The items according to the CAC included: 25,318 bags of rice 50kg (42 trailers), 3,366 jerrycans of 25 litres, 175 gallons of Vegetable Oil (5 litres), 1,564 bales and 122 sacks of seong hand clothing, 196 sacks and 938 pairs of used shoes

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has vowed to investigate the incessant use of trucks belonging to the Nigerian Breweries Pls to convey smuggled bags of foreign rice.This is even as the Unit said it has once again intercepted truck conveying crates of drinks tucked with smuggled bags of rice belonging to the Nigerian Breweries PLC.

This arrest is coming one month after the unit intercepted 163 bags of rice concealed in crates of beer in a truck belonging to the Nigerian Breweries Plc.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday the Customs Area Controller Of the unit, Capt. Mohammed Uba said the unit would investigate the incessant use of Nigerian Breweries trucks for smuggling of rice into the country.He said, “We will investigate the incessant use of the Nigerian Breweries trucks to smuggle rice into the country. We will be fair to the company, we will invite them to give their side of the story.

“We cannot do the investigation without listening to other parties, we have to listen to other parties for justice.”

Uba had earlier advice from reputable organisations to be wary of drivers who may have ulterior motives than their job description.

“My advice and warning to individual and private organization employing drivers and other workers using their mobility to convey their goods is that they should look at the credibility of such employees because they can dent the image of the company and slow down the process of making their gains.”

In the same vein, the Unit said it intercepted nine trailers load of smuggled rice numbering about 5,516 bags and recovered N1.039 billion for the federal government.

Also intercepted includes 30 exotic vehicles, 1068 cartons of frozen poultry products, 216 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 683 pieces of used tyres and sacks of Indian Hemp.

“Having deepened our anti-smuggling operations between April 10th to May 15, 2018, we have intercepted various contrabands and other goods on detention with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1.10billion.“The unit through its interventions also recovered N29million from under-payments making a cumulative of N1. 39billion within the weeks under review.

“The detained/seized items include: 30 Exotic vehicles including 7 Toyota Hilux (2018 models), 3 Toyota Prado Jeep (2017), 1 Range Rover, 1 Ford Edge (2015), 5,516 bags of foreign parboiled rice (9 trailers), 1,078 cartons of frozen poultry products, 216 Jerry cans of vegetable oil, 173 bales of used clothing, 683 piece of used tyres, 8 sacks of Indian hemps weighing 134 kg among others,” Compt. Uba added.

The FOU Zone CAC also noted at the press briefing that two containers were seized for alleged false declarations and N25million recovered from the importers. “Also, two containers with no: MSKU130295/2 and MRKU877714/0 have been seized for false declaration with a DPV of over N25 million alone.” The CAC also read riot act as smugglers saying the unit will make the zone unfavourable for them.

“We will continue to make this zone uncomfortable for smugglers to operate and urge every Nigerian to be patriotic and report any smuggling activities in their areas to the Service and any intelligence provided will be treated in confidence.

“Let me advise these economic saboteurs as well as fraudulent importers to invest their resources towards legitimate trade and desist from engaging in smuggling activities, as the Service and indeed the Unit will not renege on our statutory functions most especially in suppressing smuggling,” Uba stated.