The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially commenced the use of scanners for cargo examination at the Apapa ports in Lagos, Tribune Online can reliably confirm.
Disclosing this to Tribune Online on Wednesday, the Spokesman of the Apapa Customs Command, Abubakar Usman explained that the scanners had actually been operational for almost a month now, but the Command had decided not to issue any statement on the development until further notice.
According to Abubakar Usman, while responding to enquiries by Tribune Online on when the scanners commenced operations, “The scanners have been working for almost a month now. We didn’t launch it today as erroneously disclosed by some agents. We have been using it for almost a month now.”
When asked why the Command failed to issue any statement on the development, Usman stated that “I only issue statements when I am directed to do so.”
Speaking with Tribune Online, some port officials who wouldn’t want their names in print however revealed that the Customs didn’t make so much noise about the launch of the scanners because that didn’t stop physical examination of cargoes at the ports.
In the words of the port officials, “The Customs have started the use of the scanners at the Apapa ports.
“However, there was not much noise about the launch because they (Customs) are still doing physical examinations on some cargoes, depending on the risk factor involved.
“The Customs still examine some cargoes manually despite the launch of the scanners. The procedure or criteria used to select cargoes for physical examination and cargoes that go under the scanners are not yet known for now to us.”
Recall that the Nigeria Customs Service deployed scanners at selected ports and borders across the country in 2021 to enforce the Federal Government’s ease of doing business policy and reduce the huge cost of doing business at the nation’s port.
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