The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command, says it has seized contraband goods worth N3.4 billion in the first half of 2022.
The command said it generated that it also generated N29.94m from import duties and auction sales of petrol seized from smugglers. The Ogun 1 Area Controller, Bamidele Makinde, said this at a press briefing held in Abeokuta on Wednesday.
He said his command intercepted 25,906 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, which is equivalent to 43 trailer loads, in the time under review.
Makinde explained, “The cumulative duty paid value for all the above seizures amounted to N3.4bn.” He added that the 2022 half-year performance of the NCS indicated an increase in revenue collection and value of seizures recorded, compared to the corresponding period of 2021.
He said, “The revenue generated from January to June last year was N15.26m compared to this year’s revenue of N29.94m Similarly, the estimated Duty Paid Value of items seized this year is N3.40bnis higher than that of last year which was N834.77m. That is about a 400 per cent increase.”
He clarified that the command was able to record the achievements due to continuous stakeholder engagement and management, deployment of intelligence in its operations across the state, structural reorganisation of the command and improved motivation of officers by the NCS management.
He further said, “We shall strengthen the Customs-Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility within our capacity.
Speaking on the command’s plans to curb smuggling manage across the state, the customs boss said, “The command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitise, and educate the public on social/economic implications of smuggling as well as performing its statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.
“We shall strengthen the Customs-Community Relations and Cooperation Social Responsibility, within our capacity.
“As part of our stakeholders’ engagement, we paid a courtesy visit to traditional rulers in various communities in the state. I sought their support in combating smuggling and urged them to educate their subjects on the menace of smuggling and incessant attacks on security operatives discharging their statutory duties.”
