The Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has generated the sum of ₦36, 223, 554 million as revenue in the third quarter of 2024.
Customs Area Controller, Kebbi Command, Comptroller Ernest Ojike, disclosed this while acquainting the Press with the activities of Command within the period under review.
He added that the Command was able to achieve the feat despite a lot of challenges which he said affected its effort at revenue generation for the Federal Government, including low volume of imports through Kamba, the only official border in the state.
He said the activities of the Kebbi Command led to numerous successes in the core mandates of the NCS as regards revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling.
As regards revenue generation, Comptroller Ojike said the Command has been on the frontline, working assiduously to improve the revenue generated yearly by the Command to meet up the set target.
“The Command has been holding series of meetings and educating our stakeholders on the basic customs procedures of importation/exportation which is aimed at stemming the tide of smuggling and increasing revenue generation.
“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.
“In a quest to further improve the revenue drive, the Command, under the able leadership of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has been actively involved in the process of reopening of the 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.
“Even though a lot of challenges has affected the Command’s effort at revenue generation for the Federal Government; such as low volume of imports through our only official border, Kamba, the Command was still able to generate the sum of ₦36, 223, 554.50K within the period under review.
“As the efforts we put in place continue to translate to positive outcome, we hope to record steady rise in the Command’s revenue in the coming months.
“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 its stay here, reduced the menace of petroleum product smuggling in the state. They are a team that thrive on intelligence and the results of their efforts speak for them,” he said.
The Customs Area Controller showcased some of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) the Kebbi Command made. He assured that the Command is working 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 utilised within our stores.
“We are all well aware what inconveniences and distress we experience during fuel scarcity, and the spiralling effect it has on costs of other items. Hence, the need to root out the menace,” Comptroller Ojike added.
He said Kebbi Command recorded series of successes in the area of anti-smuggling, adding that its officers and men would continue to strive hard to get rid of smuggling activities within the state.
He listed the seizures made during the period under review to include:
367 of bales of second-hand clothings; 16,300 litres of PMS; 74 cartons of different medicaments; and eight bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50Kg each.
Others, the NCS Area Controller said were 180 pieces of donkey skin (bundled in nine sacks); two litres of Oxidized Nitric Acid of 35kg each; one unit of DAF truck and Toyota Corolla as means of conveyance, among others.
“It may interest you to know that five suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures above and they have been granted administrative bail in compliance with the provision of the constitution pending further investigation and proper trial of their case,” he added.
Comptroller Ojike said the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items is ₦323, 065, 567.
He added that the seizures were made possible with the combined efforts of the Command’s outfield officers, intelligence unit, patrol team leaders, other relevant units, sister agencies and well-meaning Nigerians who provided intelligence.
“Acting within the policy thrust of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR of consolidation, innovation and collaboration, the Command will shortly hand over 180 pieces of donkey skin and 74 cartons of different medicaments to Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), respectively.
“Furthermore, I will like to use this medium to warn smugglers and their syndicates that our officers and men are well positioned and equipped to scuttle all their activities, therefore, we urge them to abstain from their nefarious act.
“Kebbi State must be free from any smuggling activities,” he said as he thanked the media, sister security agencies and patriotic citizens who he said helped the Command with useful information to curtail smuggling.
