Missing vessel documents, not petrol blockade, prompted Customs action — Tincan Customs PRO

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Command, has clarified claims surrounding the sealing of a vessel discharging petroleum products at the MRS/Dantata Jetty, stating that the action followed alleged violations of extant Customs procedures and documentation requirements.

Tincan Public Relations Officer of the Command, Superintendent of Custom, SC, Oscar Ivara, made the clarification while speaking to Vanguard on the development.

He disclosed that the vessel in question arrived from Lekki Port on May 23 and was scheduled to berth at the Dantata Jetty within the MRS terminal.

According to him, Customs boarding and rummaging officers, during routine checks on arrival of the vessel, discovered that critical shipping documents were missing.

“There is a document known as the Last Port Clearance, which every vessel must present from the last port of departure before arriving at another port. In this case, the vessel arrived Tin Can without that document,” he said.

The spokesman explained that where such documentation is unavailable, the vessel is expected to operate under temporary importation procedures backed with a Customs bond, or alternatively pay the appropriate Customs duty.

“The vessel neither produced the Last Port Clearance nor provided a bond for temporary importation, and no Customs duty was paid,” he added.

He further disclosed that the Enforcement Unit granted the operators a two-day grace period to produce the required documentation.

However, according to him, the operators allegedly failed to comply within the stipulated time.

The situation reportedly escalated on Tuesday after Customs officers received intelligence that the same vessel had commenced discharge operations at the jetty despite being under Customs seal.

“Before any vessel can discharge cargo, Customs must issue a release authorisation, popularly referred to as ‘breaking bulk’. That approval was never granted in this case,” the source stated.

He explained that officers were immediately mobilised to the terminal to halt the operation.

According to him, security personnel at the facility allegedly prevented Customs officers from gaining access into the terminal initially, leading to tension at the gate before officers eventually gained entry.

“Our officers stopped the discharge operation and resealed the vessel because the discharge was illegal,” he said.

He further said that after the enforcement exercise, security personnel at the terminal locked the exit gate and temporarily prevented Customs officers from leaving the premises.