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A ‘detention notice’ has been placed by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on military wares allegedly imported by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
A Customs officer told Freedom Online on Friday in Abuja that a senior official of the agency used to import the goods – Lima Enterprises Limited – has been detained.
The operational address of Lima Enterprises Limited is at Ajao Estate, Lagos.
In fact, officials of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the Department of State Service (DSS) “have already inspected the 39 cartons used for the importation at the FCT Command of NCS, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Freedom Online learned that the presidency has directed DMI and DSS to also investigate some governors believed to be importing military and security wares “to be used for the 2019 elections”.
It is believed some of these wares “which already found their way to the country did not come with End User Certificates which can only be given by the National Security Adviser”.
“Top on the list are a governor from South-South, a governor from South-West whose tenure will expire this year, a governor from South-East, two governors from North-Central and three governors from North-West”, said a source.
The military wares seized from Lima Enterprises Limited have been moved “to a safer place”.
Freedom Online also learned that one Jerry Omadara, who is one of the aides of the Kogi governor, has been invited “to say what he knows about the importation”.
The Batch No of the goods is C843 brought into the country by a cargo aircraft with the registered number 237/2018.
The Airway Bill Number is 176-89341114.
It is believed that the goods were imported from one of the European countries.
The Detention Notice (No 08854) reads: “You (Lima Enterprises Limited) are hereby informed that the goods covered in the schedule below are detained”.
The company was asked to “produce additional clearance documents”.
The Detention Notice was sequel to a Certificate of Examination on the goods by a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), M.K. Usman.
He declared in the certificate: “I, Usman M.K., hereby certify that I have identified, opened and examined physically the goods on AW8 No 176-89341114.
“They include 100 pieces of military camouflage, 26 pieces of military camouflage jungle boots, 20 pieces of plastic knives, 24 pieces of black bullet proof vests, 28 black boxing gloves, 26 pieces of arctic hunter bags, 40 pieces of training mats, 20 pieces of black batons, 100 pieces of black T-shirts, 31 pieces of protective glasses, 25 pieces of black sunglasses and 29 pieces of black uniform belts”.
On Thursday, Senator Dino Melaye had drawn the attention of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly to the importation allegedly by Bello.
An Ad-hoc committee was immediately set up by the Senate, headed by Senator James Manager, to investigate the allegation.
After the session, Manager and other members of the committee including Senators Adeola Olamilekan Yayi, Kabir Marafa, Jeremiah Useni, Chukwuka Utazi and Mathew Urhoghide, moved to the Customs office to check the 39 boxes containing the goods.
Senior Customs officers assisted the senators during the examination of the boxes.
Credit: Freedom Online
