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Customs’ FOU, KLT assess anti-smuggling efforts

By Sulaimon Salau and Gloria Ehiaghe
26 July 2017   |   4:03 am
Meanwhile, the KLT Command of Customs generated the sum of N7.3 billion in the first half of the year, which represents an increase of 253.3 per cent over the corresponding period of 2016.

Meanwhile, the KLT Command of Customs generated the sum of N7.3 billion in the first half of the year, which represents an increase of 253.3 per cent over the corresponding period of 2016.

Half year (H1) report of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has indicated that the battles against smuggling across the nation’s gateways are yielding more successes.

This is coming as the various commands and units embark critical evaluation of their operations in the first six months of the year. The reports obtained by The Guardian indicated that the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, and the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) command of the Customs, have devised more technical ways of tackling the menace, as the nation loses fortunes to economic saboteurs.

FOU reportedly intercepted about 475 contrabands with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.2 billion during the period.

The Controller, FOU Zone ‘A’ Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, who disclosed this in his operational review, said about 95 suspects were arrested in connection with different seizures comprising foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake pharmaceutical/medicaments, and various general merchandise.

He said the Unit through its intensified anti-smuggling operations also recovered N1.2 billion from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airport, and border stations through wrong classification, transfer of value, and short-change in duty payment payable to the Government.

This resulted in a cumulative savings of about N2.5 billion between January and June this year. Uba thanked the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), and the entire Management Team for their efforts in recognising hard work, and putting square pegs in square holes.

Meanwhile, the KLT Command of Customs generated the sum of N7.3 billion in the first half of the year, which represents an increase of 253.3 per cent over the corresponding period of 2016.

The Command had in June, recorded the highest revenue generation in seven years realising a total of N1.54 billion.

The Area Controller, Compt. Lami Wushishi, disclosed this at the Phase 3 Terminal when the Command handed over a 20-foot container laden with substandard cables worth N20million to officials of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Impressed with the feat, Wushishi said: “Last month June, we realised N1.54 billion. It is the highest in the last seven years.

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