BIG STORY

Most Port Scanners Are Obsolete – Customs CG

Published

3 years ago

March 17, 2022

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hammed Ali, has said most of the scanners available at the nation’s ports are obsolete and need to be changed.

He disclosed this on Wednesday during a familiarisation tour and pre-passing out parade for cadets in Ikeja.

He added that he was committed to ensuring that the agency’s Vehicle Identification Number for valuation of imported vehicles succeeds.

According to Ali, the service has three mobile scanners in use at the nation’s ports. He added that it would soon deploy 135 scanners nationwide to boost border security.

He said, “On the scanners, you know, when I came in, most of the scanners have run down and the Information Technology components especially as regards to scanners are time-bound.

“The highest they will stay is about seven years and even the manufacturers of the scanners will tell you that after seven years, you may not get the spare parts again. So those went obsolete and we have to devise a means of getting scanners. We were lucky we worked with the Ministry of Finance and today we have three mobile scanners that have been deployed.

“They are high-dimension scanners, they are exceptionally dynamic so we hope this is an intervention. We hope that the E-Customs, which is my baby, will come into place and if it comes into place, we expect that 135 scanners will be deployed nationwide. And that will take care of borders, land borders, airports, and sea borders.”

According to him, the scanners will help to fast track and facilitate trade in the nation.

Commenting on the controversial VIN platform, Ali said, “It is now one valuation for the same type of vehicle anywhere.

“We are moving forward, we can’t be retrogressive, when the freight forwarders came up with their issue of not liking the platform I was surprised because these were the same people that put us on the edge. So, I think it has come to stay and we will make sure it succeeds.

“Anytime I come to the port, there has been this issue of uniformity for values. They have complained of multiple valuations when they go to Apapa, Port, and Terminal Multipurpose Limited, Tin-Can they get different values.”

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Related Topics:Big story Comptroller General of Customs custom

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BIG STORY

Two US-Based Nigerians Bag 30-Year Jail For $3.5m Romance Scam

Published

33 mins ago

November 26, 2024

PorscheClassy News

Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced by a United States federal jury to a combined 30 years in prison for defrauding US citizens of $3.5 million.

The sentencing was announced in a press release made available on the US Department of Justice website on Monday.

According to the statement, Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived their victims by claiming they had received substantial inheritances that required money to be claimed. The duo would then ask the victims to send money with the promise of reimbursement once the inheritances were secured.

The statement also highlighted that the pair carried out romance scams, building online relationships with their victims to gain their trust, only to later demand money.

It read, “An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes.

“Using aliases, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu communicated with victims throughout the United States, convincing them they had received substantial inheritances and needed to send money to individuals associated with the defendants in order to claim it.

“In addition to the inheritance scam, the pair carried out an online romance scam that involved communicating with victims via social media and dating websites, building trust with the victims through a purported online romance, and convincing them to send money to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie also orchestrated a ‘business email compromise’ scam that targeted corporate email accounts.

“The fraud schemes were uncovered by a covert law enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of at least $3.5 million.”

The statement further noted that after facing at least 14 charges, Ibekie and Aniukwu pleaded guilty to the accusations. As a result, Ibekie was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday, while Aniukwu received a 10-year sentence on November 8.

The statement continued, “A federal jury earlier this year convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Ill., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank, and passport fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to 20 years in federal prison.

“Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Judge Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to 10 years in prison.”

Meanwhile, an accomplice of Ibekie and Aniukwu, US citizen Jennifer Gosha, is set to be sentenced on December 18 following her guilty plea.

“A third defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the statement concluded.

Post Views: 24

BIG STORY

JUST IN: Ebonyi Governor Suspends Health, Housing Commissioners Over “Gross Misconduct, Negligence Of Duty”

Published

2 hours ago

November 26, 2024

PorscheClassy News

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, and his counterpart in Housing and Urban Development, Francis Ori.

The suspensions occurred on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, on Tuesday morning, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.”

Reports suggest that the suspensions may be linked to the alleged theft of government property by officials in the Ministry of Health and the reported underperformance of the Housing and Urban Development commissioner, particularly regarding his poor management of the Amaeze Housing Scheme in the Ishielu Local Government Area.

It is also recalled that the governor visited the health ministry’s premises on Saturday night, where six officials were allegedly caught diverting government materials. He subsequently ordered their arrest and prosecution.

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