Records huge Seizures

The Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has recorded a revenue haul of N212,592,680,700.99 between January  and March 2023.

Briefing newsmen at the Command, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, CAC, Auwal Mohammed disclosed that the Command under his watch will not be deterred from it avowed commitment policy implementation for the good of country and citizens.

In his words “Our functions of revenue generation and collection, suppression of smuggling and facilitating legitimate trade have been consistently implemented within the first three months of 2023”.

“While I am meeting with various stakeholders and partner government agencies to ensure the tempo of compliance is sustained and improved upon, the command stood forthright in foiling attempts at smuggling prohibited items into and out of the country”.

EXPORT

“For export trade, the command processed agricultural goods such as sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus, mineral resources, steel ingot and others with a total tonnage of 110,448 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023. Statistics from the export report shows that the exported goods are worth seventy billion, two hundred million, eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight naira, sixty-seven kobo (N70,200,829,358.67) which is equivalent to Free on Board (FOB) value of $159,845,232.84 (N212,592,680,700.99) covering January-March 2023.

ANTI SMUGGLING

Our resolve to enforce government fiscal policies and extant laws to ensure that all import and export consignments transiting through Apapa Port are duly examined has been strengthened through effective collaboration and timely sharing of credible intelligence with sister government agencies in the port.

“Within the period under review, the command made seizures of fourteen (14) containers comprising of prohibited items such as vegetable oil, footwears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value of twenty-two billion, ninety-nine million, six hundred and eighteen thousand, one hundred and eleven naira (N22,099,618,111.00)”.

“It is pertinent to mention that on Friday, 31 March 2023, we uncovered a large quantity of 225mg of tramadol tablets concealed in 2x40ft container numbers TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where one hundred and forty-three million, eight hundred thousand (143,800,000) tablets of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3 tonnes (10,386kg) that originated from India. This single seizure is valued at twenty-one billion, six hundred million naira (N21,600,000,000.00).

We are on the look-out for those behind such unlawful importation for arrest and very soon we will track them down to face the full wrath of the law. As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty to prevent this kind of importation from entering the market to safeguard the health of the citizenry.

“Let me use this opportunity to warn perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) and other extant laws, that Apapa Command will only facilitate legitimate trade.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT/INTER AGENCY COLLABORATION

“Since my assumption of duty here, I have been meeting with various stakeholder groups comprising importers, exporters, licensed agents, freight forwarders, and others. I am happy to note that these meetings are yielding good results and will be sustained”

“In this command, we have a deliberate culture of inter-agency collaboration with other government organizations. Within this first three months, I have enjoyed robust sharing of credible intelligence and support from other agencies of government”.

“I want to respectfully extend my profound appreciation to the CGC, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) CFR and his Management team for their untiring support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and synergy, officers and men of Apapa Command for their determined resilience.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT/INTER AGENCY COLLABORATION

“Since my assumption of duty here, I have been meeting with various stakeholder groups comprising importers, exporters, licensed agents, freight forwarders, and others. I am happy to note that these meetings are yielding good results and will be sustained in days ahead”.

“In this command, we have a deliberate culture of inter-agency collaboration with other government organizations. Within this first three months, I have enjoyed robust sharing of credible intelligence and support from other agencies of government”.

“I want to respectfully extend my profound appreciation to the CGC, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) CFR and his Management team for their untiring support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and synergy, officers and men of Apapa Command for their determined resilience.

“I must also thank you, my friends from the media. You are strategic in passing out our messages to stakeholders and the general public. Your role in enlightening people about compliance and deterring them from unlawful activities is invaluable”, the Area Controller said.