The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) today reopened the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) terminal that was closed after a clash broke out between clearing agents and officers of the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, who announced the reopening of the terminal after 12 days of closure this morning, tasked clearing agents operating at the airport cargo section on compliance to import guidelines and provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA). He also warned against touting and unruly behaviour even as he charged the leadership of the registered freight forwarding associations operating at the terminal to ensure that undesirable elements are denied access into the facility.
National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, who was part of the team that received Abdullahi, assured that the clearing agents would work together with the management of the airport to weed out touts from the system.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Customs Service shut the cargo terminal on November 20 after hoodlums allegedly attacked the Area Controller.
Trouble started when the Area Controller was said to have been pelted with stones by the hoodlums shortly after he directed agents not to go near the bulk breaking section of the cargo terminal on his way to work.
Following the development, Olanrewaju called for reinforcement from the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ who confronted the protesting agents.
It was gathered that the presence of the FOU operatives made the agents scamper for safety as they were said to have shot sporadically in the air. Some clearing agents were arrested.
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