Customs unbundles Ogun Command, rakes in N1.2 billion

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), has unbundled the Ogun Command with the establishment of Ogun I, and Ogun II commands to enhance efficiency.This is sequel to the directive by the Comptroller-General, NCS, Hameed Ali, to unbundle and create eight new Area commands within the Service.

Meanwhile, the Command generated about N1.28 billion in July, about 99.08 per cent above the targeted income.Controller Ogun Command, Michael Agbara, while announcing the unbundling in Idiroko Border, Ogun State, said the Command is privileged to be among the beneficiaries with a view to enhancing administrative efficiency and boosting revenue generation for the Service.

According to him, Ogun I will have an area of coverage relating to regulation and enforcement of all import, export, and anti-smuggling related activities in the state with Headquarters at Idiroko. Ogun II Area Command on the other hand, will be saddled with the responsibilities of enforcing and regulating all excise (industries under excise control), Free Trade Zone, and parcel post related activities in Ogun with headquarters in Abeokuta.

“It is our believe that the new structure of Nigeria Customs Service in Ogun State will indeed be recipe for further cementing the existing relationship with stakeholders towards the overall growth, development and stability of our dear country Nigeria,” he said.

Also announcing the confiscation of various products, Agbara said the Command made 102 seizures comprising items such as; 7,848 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each); 23 units of vehicles (seven used vehicles and16 means of conveyance); 32 kegs of vegetable oil (25 litres each) and 201 pairs of used tyres.

Others are three sacks of used foot wears; 320 bags of sugar (50kg each) four bales and one sack of second-hand clothing; 200 kegs of petrol of 25 litres each; with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N137.95 million.He described the seizure of over 7, 48 bags of rice as a landmark among numerous successes recorded by the Command, adding that the Service is fully-aligned with one of the Federal Government’s cardinal policies targeted at boosting agricultural development with a view to attaining national food self-sufficiency.

He also revealed that the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, on June 28th, convicted three accused persons for vandalising official patrol vehicle attached to Team “H” Roving “A” Anti-Smuggling Patrol Team at Ashipa forest on September 22, 2017.

The court, he said, found the accused persons namely: Yakubu Olamide, Paul Ayinla, and Ayinde Adebayo, guilty jointly and severally and sentenced them accordingly.He added that the major suspects in connection with the murder of one of its personnel, CA I Hamisu Sani, on January 6th, is now in custody.

Agbara said the Command is unrelenting in pursuing cases to serve as a deterrent to other unscrupulous members of the society, who might harbour the intention of harassing security agents while discharging their lawful duty.Also, he said a notorious smuggler based in Owode has been arrested and charged to a Federal High Court for smuggling of rice, and presently on remand at the Ikoyi Prison pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.