The Nigeria Customs Service has explained the sealing of a petrol vessel at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos earlier in the week.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by its Tincan Island Command Public Relations Officer, Oscar Ivara, the said vessel was alleged to have commenced discharge operations without obtaining the required customs clearance and while still under official customs seal.
Ivara said officers boarded the vessel on May 23, 2026, after it arrived from the Dangote Refinery for routine documentation checks.
He added that the vessel lacked complete documentation, particularly the mandatory last port clearance, prompting Customs to seal it and grant the vessel’s agent two days to provide the missing document.
However, Customs said it later received intelligence that the vessel had begun discharging petrol despite the restriction.
Officers who moved to enforce compliance reportedly encountered resistance from security personnel at the terminal before gaining access and halting the operation.
Ivara clarified that the shipmaster was not arrested but invited to provide statements as investigations continue.
The Customs Service maintained that its actions were backed by provisions of the NCS Act, 2023, warning that all operators within Nigeria’s port environment must comply fully with customs regulations and clearance procedures.
