Uche Cecil Izuora
The Nigeria Customs Service, Tin Can Island Port Command, has pushed back against misleading reports about enforcement action taken on the vessel MT NY Maria, which was caught discharging Premium Motor Spirit without Customs clearance at the MRS Terminal, also known as Dantata Jetty, in Tin Can Island Port.
The Service said it must set the record straight on what happened and reaffirm the legal basis for its officers’ actions under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
On Saturday, 23 May 2026, officers from the Boarding and Rummaging Unit boarded the vessel after it arrived from the Dangote Refinery for routine documentation and compliance checks. They found the ship lacked complete paperwork, especially the mandatory Last Port Clearance from the port of origin.
Following standard procedure, officers gave the vessel’s agent two days to submit the missing document while the ship was lawfully sealed and placed under Customs control until it complied.
Against that directive, officers received intelligence on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, that the vessel had started discharging fuel without Customs clearance and while still under official seal.
When officers rushed to the terminal, they met resistance from security personnel at the facility. Despite the obstruction, they gained lawful access, ordered the ship master to stop the unauthorised discharge immediately, and directed him to report to the Enforcement Unit to give official statements. The vessel was then resealed as required.
The Service stated clearly that the ship master was not arrested at any time but was only invited to make statements as part of ongoing investigations.
The actions taken by NCS officers were fully supported by the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, especially Sections 30 to 35 on Customs controls, inspections, examination of goods, documentation verification, and enforcement within Customs Control Zones.
Section 31(2)(b) designates international seaports as Customs Control Zones, while Section 31(4) requires that imported goods be unloaded, inspected, assessed, and cleared strictly under Customs supervision and authorisation.
The discharge of PMS by MT NY Maria without clearance and while under Customs seal directly violated Sections 46 to 58 on reporting obligations, goods declaration, presentation of goods, unloading procedures, and release of goods under Customs control.
The 2023 Act empowers officers to board, inspect, detain, and enforce compliance on vessels and cargoes in Customs-controlled areas. Sections 212, 222, 223, 225, and 226 give clear authority to enter premises, inspect vessels, regulate boarding, patrol freely within Customs areas, and detain ships where violations are established or reasonably suspected.
Such offences also attract sanctions under Part XXXI on seizure, forfeiture, detention, condemnation, and penalties for disobeying lawful Customs directives.
Investigations into the incident, including the obstruction officers faced during lawful enforcement, are ongoing under existing legal and administrative procedures.
The Service reiterated that no vessel, terminal operator, shipping company, or individual is above the law, and all players in Nigeria’s port environment must comply fully with documentation, clearance, and operational requirements before starting discharge or cargo-handling activities.
The NCS remains committed to facilitating legitimate trade while ensuring strict compliance with national fiscal, trade, and security regulations.
It urged the public to rely on verified information from official channels and to avoid spreading misleading narratives that could undermine lawful enforcement actions and public confidence in regulatory institutions.
The Service said it will continue to carry out its statutory duties professionally, transparently, and without fear or favour in safeguarding Nigeria’s economic and national security interests.