PTML CUSTOMS COMMAND RECORDS MAJOR SEIZURES AS ANANI DRIVES FASTER CARGO CLEARANCE

PTML CUSTOMS COMMAND RECORDS MAJOR SEIZURES AS ANANI DRIVES FASTER CARGO CLEARANCE

By Prince Benson Davies

The PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has sustained its enforcement drive with the interception of prohibited arms, ammunition, and falsely declared medical products, even as it advances trade facilitation reforms under Comptroller Joe Anani.

Among the seizures were a WE Tactical Airsoft pistol made in Taiwan, two machine guns, and 12 rounds of live ammunition. The Command also intercepted a 40-foot container marked ACLU9806850, which was falsely declared as magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. However, upon 100 per cent examination, the container was found to contain 6,262 cartons of antibiotics of various brands.

Trade facilitation at the terminal has also seen notable gains since Comptroller Anani assumed leadership. The Command has maintained an open-door policy and rolled out operational reforms that have cut clearance timelines for vehicles and containers to under two hours. These changes have reinforced PTML’s standing as one of the fastest ports for cargo release in Nigeria.

The reforms have helped maintain PTML’s reputation for efficient and rapid cargo release. Comptroller Anani has also continued to motivate officers of the Command to improve on operational efficiency, thereby enhancing the pace of goods delivery and cargo clearance while positively impacting revenue generation.

Through regular stakeholder engagement sessions, Comptroller Anani has been able to address challenges faced by users of the Command. These engagements have also encouraged greater trade compliance and strengthened partnerships with importers, exporters, and licensed clearing agents.

A strong advocate of collaboration and inter-agency cooperation, Comptroller Anani has consistently demonstrated this approach by handing over seized contraband items to relevant regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, to protect public health and national security. The Command has also leveraged such collaborations to gather valuable intelligence, which has positively impacted its operations and enforcement activities.

Stakeholders at the port have credited the Command’s recent performance to a combination of intelligence-driven enforcement and improved service delivery. They noted that the balance between strict compliance checks and streamlined clearance processes is helping to build confidence among traders and logistics operators using the PTML terminal.

The Command said it will continue to strengthen its surveillance and inter-agency collaboration to curb smuggling and protect public safety, while also sustaining reforms aimed at reducing bottlenecks and supporting legitimate trade at Tin Can Island Port.