Security challenges, bad roads stifle revenue generation

The Comptroller of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) in Borno and Yobe states, Angbalaga Joshua, has said that “security challenges and bad roads” have stifled the generation of revenues and border patrols in 13 stations with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

The opened Gambouru, Baga and Damasak roads by the military are however; insecure for motorists and NCS personnel to generate revenues and for effective border patrols at the border entry points.

Joshua disclosed this on Tuesday, at a news conference at the Customs House, Maiduguri, on the security challenges inhibiting the Customs from meeting revenue targets.

He said because of the security challenges caused by eight-year Boko Haram insurgency, the business community lost 13 vehicles, with the destruction of millions of naira worth of merchandise and products.

“The security challenges have forced us to conservatively peg our annual revenue target at N62 million. But as insecurity lingers on the roads and border areas with Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, revenue generation marginally increased to N75 million,” said Joshua.

He said despite the security challenges, the Borno and Yobe states Command, is expected to generate N100 million by end of this year.

On overcoming security challenges to raise revenue targets, he said: “We’re equal to the task of doubling these revenue targets, if the military could give clearance for our personnel to move into the 13 border stations with neighbouring countries.

“The opened roads should not only be declared safe by the military, but they should be fixed for commuting and haulage of goods and other merchandise to border areas and Central African Republic.”

He noted that despite the security challenges, the Customs was able to intercept and seize large quantities of Indian hemp, imported used tyres, and 100 bags of rice in the Kanama-Geidam axis in Yobe state.

This is compounded by the fact that only a few officers are manning the Gambouru border station in Borno, while the Geidam border station in Yobe is functional.