The Customs Area Controller of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Command (MMAC) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, has said the ongoing war involving Iran is affecting global cargo movement, even as the command has introduced additional checks to curb the smuggling of concealed goods through the airport.
Speaking with TodayNews, Otunla explained that no country is immune to the negative effects of the conflict, noting that Nigeria, being largely import-dependent, is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in international logistics and cargo supply chains.
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He cited the example of airlines operating from the Gulf region, especially Qatar Airways, which supplies a significant volume of cargo into Nigeria through the airport command.
According to him, several airlines operating within the Middle East airspace, including those from the United Arab Emirates and Dubai, have been forced to suspend flights due to the presence of drones and missiles in the region’s airspace.
“Some of their aircraft are currently grounded on the tarmac because they cannot fly under such dangerous conditions,” Otunla said.
He noted that the development could negatively affect the command’s revenue generation.
“Last month we generated about ₦17 billion, while January recorded about ₦24 billion. However, with the current disruption, it may be difficult to reach the ₦17 billion mark this month,” he said, adding that the command hopes the conflict ends soon because of its far-reaching economic effects.
Otunla also explained the similarities and differences between airport operations and land border operations in terms of customs control.
He noted that both the airport and land borders serve as entry and exit points for goods, services, and passengers into and out of the country.
Using the Ogun I Area Command in Idiroko as an example, he explained that both borders handle cargo and passenger traffic, but smuggling patterns differ significantly between them.
According to him, smuggling is more common at land borders due to the vast and porous nature of the terrain, which makes it difficult to completely eliminate illegal crossings.
“At the land border, goods can come in unmanifested and sometimes pass through unapproved routes despite the vigilance of Customs officers,” he said.
In contrast, cargo arriving through the airport follows a more structured documentation process.
“At the airport, cargo arrives through aircraft and must be properly manifested. Every item that enters must come with an airway bill, no matter how small,” he explained.
He said smugglers operating through the airport often resort to concealment tactics, such as hiding smaller items inside larger consignments to evade appropriate duty payments.
To combat this practice, Otunla disclosed that the MMAC command has introduced additional layers of checks and monitoring mechanisms beyond the standard customs procedures.
“These are internal measures we created to strengthen oversight. They help us monitor the activities of clearing agents and detect concealment or bunching of goods,” he said.
According to him, the command conducts periodic checks using electronically transmitted manifests and airway bills already lodged in the customs system.
The command also tracks unutilized airway bills and compares them with cleared consignments to identify discrepancies.
“When we detect irregularities, we trace the consignments through the shed operators and identify those responsible. Once the culprits are identified, they are made to pay penalties or other punitive charges,” Otunla explained.
However, he admitted that once such goods have already left the warehouse, recovering the full value of the cargo can be difficult.
Customs valuation, he noted, is calculated using the Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) method, while agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and airlines determine charges based on cargo weight.
He further explained that punitive invoices are sometimes imposed on repeat offenders to deter further violations.
“If an agency is found to be repeatedly involved in such practices, we may impose heavy penalties as a deterrent. They either comply or stop operating,” he said.
The MMAC controller also commended the Area Controller of the Ogun I Command, Comptroller O.O. Afeni, for his efforts in combating smuggling along the Idiroko border.
Otunla noted that Afeni’s achievements, particularly the large seizures recorded recently, demonstrate commitment to the fight against economic sabotage.
He stressed that enforcement operations should be carried out without violence and emphasized the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries.
“It is important to carry out our duties without loss of lives. Maintaining a good relationship with our neighbours in the Benin Republic helps in addressing cross-border crimes,” he said.
According to him, dialogue and cooperation with stakeholders remain critical tools in achieving effective border management.
“Everything is not about the use of force. Sometimes dialogue and cooperation with stakeholders produce better results,” he added.
