Customs Sues Freight Agents For Forgery, Others

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Tin-Can Island, Apapa Command, has filed a six-count charge against three clearing agents before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly forging some of its documents, which they used to remove two 2X40ft containers from a bonded warehouse.
The three clearing agents mentioned in the charge marked FHC/L/337c/2024 filed before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke are Emeka Nwosu, Kenneth Okwuma and Basil Nworisa.

The prosecutor, Mrs Kehinde Bode-Ayeni claimed in the charge that the defendants and others now at large, sometime in December 2023, conspired among themselves and altered, forged, falsified and counterfeit Customs Documents named Single Goods Declaration (SGD) and used the same to remove and exit two Containers numbered FCIU 870101\2 and MSCU 676343/7, from Emong Bonded Terminal, Ijora, Lagos.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, are contrary to Section 516, 2 (c) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.
Also, sections 231(a), 235(c), and 235(d) of the Nigerian Customs Service Act 2023 are punishable by the same Sections of the Act.

Justice Aneke has fixed July 16, 2024, for the arraignment of the three clearing agents.

Charges against the clearing agents read: “That you Emeka Nwosu ‘M’, Kenneth Okwuma‘M’ and Basil Nworisa ‘M’ and others (now at large) sometime in December 2023, at Emong Bonded Terminal, Ijora, Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspired together to illegally remove 2X40ft Container Numbers FCIU 870101/2 and MSCU 676343/7 without lawful authority and thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.