The federal operations unit zone ‘C’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has informed arrest of two persons allegedly smuggling three trucks of unprocessed timber in Rivers state.
The Nigeria Customs Service zone ‘C’ coordinator, Olusemire Kayode, disclosed this on Monday, during a display of the seized items at the zonal headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Kayode said unprocessed timber exportation without due documentation is illegal, while narrating the adverse effect of deforestation on the environment.
According to him, local log processing is an important way of creating employment opportunities for youths in the country.
“On July 16, 2021, at about 2.00 pm, one of the surveillance teams of FOU Zone ‘C’, acting on credible intelligence, trailed and intercepted three trucks conveying 6×20ft containers of logs of rough timber along the industrial road, Port Harcourt,
“We also arrested two suspected smugglers who were attempting to export the unprocessed logs, but they have been released on administrative bail.
“Exportation of rough timber which contravenes schedule 6 of the extant CET comes with negative economic and environmental effects and must not be condoned.”
The controller of the federal operations unit, zone ‘C’, Yusuf Lawal while confirming the interception, listed the numbers of the containers as MSCU-3470637, MSDU-1497355, MEDU-9739916, MEDU-5627573, MSDU-6248794, and MEDU-6792783.
He also said the logs were seized as the arrested persons didn’t provide evidence of clearance from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
“NEPC is an agency of government which takes note of products that are meant for exportation so that the proceeds can be repatriated accordingly,” he said.
“Unfortunately, NEPC is not aware of these logs and has not issued any Nigeria Export Proceeds form, further confirming, therefore, that the logs were about to be smuggled out.”
