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Customs warns smugglers against economic sabotage

By Sulaimon Salau
10 April 2019   |   3:31 am
For the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), first quarter 2019 was an eventful period in its fight against smuggling at the nation’s gateways, as some of the commands reviewed their operations, leading to a counting series of seizure and landmark revenue generation. Although, the period did not go without some casualties, the Customs explained it had…

Former Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko.

For the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), first quarter 2019 was an eventful period in its fight against smuggling at the nation’s gateways, as some of the commands reviewed their operations, leading to a counting series of seizure and landmark revenue generation.

Although, the period did not go without some casualties, the Customs explained it had to engage in the review to protect lives and property.

To this end, the Niger/Kwara/Kogi, Port Harcourt, and Ogun area commands said they fared better after the reviews.

For instance, the Niger/Kwara/Kogi Area Command revealed it generated about ₦814.7million; while Area II, Onne Port Command, Rivers State, raked in over ₦25.5billion; and Ogun Area Command ₦3.2billion in the first three months of the year January to March.

The Customs Area Controller, Niger/Kwara/Kogi, Area Command, Comptroller Yusuf Abba Kassim, said the amount is the highest revenue collected in the past three years by the Command.

Kassim said: “In 2016, 2017, and 2018, the Command generated ₦539.million, N417.3million, and ₦387.2million.

“In January 2019, it collected ₦210,466,789.18, which surpassed the ₦94.5million of the same month last year. In February this year, which was an election month, we generated N4.3million with difference of ₦142.2million. By March, we returned and recovered from the heavy impact of the elections and generated ₦599.9million, which surpassed that of March last year with ₦475.2million,” he stated.

In Port Harcourt Area II Customs Command, a sum of ₦25.5billion was generated in the first quarter of 2019, representing 26.2 per cent when compared to ₦18.8billion generated in the first quarter of 2018.

The Area Controller, Comptroller Aliyu Galadima Saidu, said the Command recorded 61 remarkable seizure of various items such as 9x40ft containers of Tramadol, Hyergra, Diclofenac, and Analgesic tablets of different types; 64x20ft containers of foreign parboiled rice and other items such as military uniforms, boots and caps.

The Ogun Command on its part intercepted 12,720 bags of foreign rice, 143 sacks of cannabis sativa, 583 used tyres, 550 jerry-cans of petrol, 446 kegs of vegetable oil, and many other prohibited items smuggled into the country through the Idiroko border.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Michael Agbara, revealed that the items seized amounted to over ₦438.9million.

The CAC also disclosed that Ogun Command generated over ₦3.2billion between January and March, while seized vehicles and motorcycles were sighted practically everywhere in the Customs premises.

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