By Bon Peters
The Nigeria Customs Service Area Command, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, says it has generated the sum of N36.2M in the third quarter of 2024 even as the Command has also seized Illicit goods with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N323m.
This was disclosed in a press statement made available to our correspondent by the Customs Area Controller, Kebbi Command, Comptroller Ernest Iheanacho Ojike, Friday in Birnin – Kebbi, Kebbi state.
Ojike who said that his Command has been working assiduously to up the yearly revenue target of the Command has been holding series of meetings with stakeholders including educating them on the Customs procedures in relation to import and export aimed at stemming the tide of smuggling and to increase revenue generation.
His words: “in particular, we assemble all our trading communities on board in a deliberate and conscious effort to forge a common ground. In all the meetings we held, we stressed the need for compliance and avoidance of importing goods that would be injurious to the health of Nigerians and destroy the economy.”
Speaking further, he noted “in a quest to further improve the revenue drive, the Command under the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR has been actively involved in the process of reopening of Tsamiya-Sebgana border, which proposed a one-stop border post. A one-stop border cuts off all irrelevancies in documentations and non-tariff procedures preceding trade facilitation.”
Though he regretted that a lot of challenges have affected the Command revenue generation which he attributed to low volume of imports through the only official border, Kamba, the Command according to him, was still able to generate the sum of thirty six million, two hundred and twenty three thousand, five hundred and fifty four naira fifty kobo (₦36, 223, 554.50K) within the period under review even as he envisaged that with the efforts his command has put in place, the result would continue to translate to positive outcome, noting that his Command was hoping to record steady rise in the Command’s revenue in the coming months.
According to the statement, Comptroller Ojike highlighted on the activities of the operation Whirlwind team saying “at this point, I will want to talk about ‘whirlwind Team’, which is a special team created by the CGC and tasked with the sole responsibility of curbing the menace of petroleum products smuggling. Of course, we all know the implications of smuggling our petroleum products outside the shores of the country. Scarcity of these product is created here when these miscreant have their way.”
“But this special team, whirlwind, has since swung into action and has successfully within the short period of their stay here reduced the menace of petroleum product smuggling in the state. They are a team that thrives on intelligence, and the results of their efforts speak for them”, he reiterated.
Continuing, Compt Ojike said “Here, we showcase some of their seizures of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) they have made. And they are working very hard to ensure that incidences of scarcity of the products are not experienced in the state.”
“Our Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) and of course the federal Government are very passionate in seeing that our petroleum products are well utilized within our stores.We are all well aware what inconveniences and distress we experience during fuel scarcity, and the spiraling effect it has on costs of other items. Hence, the need to root out the menace”, he insisted.
On anti smuggling, he said that the Command has excelled even as he maintained that a lot of successes has been achieved through a concerted efforts of the officers and men of the Command who are striving hard to root out smuggling activities within Kebbi.
Giving details of the items seized, he said ” The seizures made during the period under review are as follows:-
1. 367 of bales of secondhand clothings
2. 16,300 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)
3. 74 cartons of different medicaments
4. 8 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50Kg each
5. 180 pieces of donkey skin bundled in nine (9) sacks
6. 2 litres of Oxidized Nitric Acid of 35kg each
7. 1 unit of DAF truck and Toyota Corolla as means of conveyance, among others.”
He hinted that 5 Suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures above and that they have been granted administrative bail in compliance with the provision of the constitution pending further investigation and proper trial of their case.
On the amount of the seized items, he said, “The Duty Paid Value of the seized items is three hundred and twenty three million, sixty five thousand five and sixty seven naira (₦323, 065, 567).”
“The above seizures were possible with the combined efforts of the outfield officers, our intelligence Unit, Patrol team leaders, other relevant units, sister agencies and well-meaning Nigerians who provided intelligence.”
He reiterated the resolve of his command to continue to act within the policy thrust of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR which anchors on consolidation, innovation and collaboration, adding that the Command would shortly hand over one hundred and eighty (180) pieces of donkey skin and seventy four (74) cartons of different medicaments to Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) respectively even as he warned smugglers and their syndicates that his officers and men were well positioned and equipped to scuttle all their activities, urging them to abstain from their nefarious act as Kebbi State must be free from any smuggling activities.
He appreciated the media, sister agencies and all patriotic citizens who helped with useful information to curtail smuggling.
By Bon Peters
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
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