Recovers N66.7m through Demand Notices

Compt. Ejibunu displays some of the seized items

Acting Controller of the The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS,  Deputy Comptroller Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, has disclosed that officers of FOU A, made seizures  with a total duty paid value (DPV) of Seven Hundred and Forty-Six Million, One Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Five Naira (N746,157,425) with ten suspects were arrested during Q1 2023.

In addition, the Unit said it collected the sum of N66.7m through the issuance of Demand Notices (DN) to defaulters, in the continuous quest to prevent revenue loss through infractions such as under-valuation, under-payments, and wrong classification.

Briefing newsmen at FOU Ikeja,  Ag. Compt. Ejibunu said the disclosure is  intended to dissuade smugglers and duty evaders from their illegal activities and encourage law-abiding business people to stay on the path of legitimacy.

“We want to reiterate that it pays for importers, exporters, haulage operators, and their agents to operate within the ambit of the law because doing otherwise places them at risk of losing their investments and facing prosecution as enshrined in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA)” the FOU Boss said.

The Ag. Comptroller told newsmen that the Unit secured eight (8) convictions during the last ten (10) months, while 48 different cases are at various stages of prosecution.

Breakdown of seizures recently made the FOU Zone A include:

1. 8,309 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 14 trailer loads)
2. 2,428 X 25 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS)
3. 221 cartons of foreign frozen poultry
4. 486 parcels (262kg) of Indian hemp
5. 4 units of foreign used vehicles
6. 111 pieces of used tyres
7. 10 bales of used clothing
8. 8 sacks of used shoes

narrating how the Unit outsmarted smugglers within the period, he said round-the-clock patrols were sustained and backed with intelligence even during the public holidays.  “The outcome of our unrelenting onslaught against smuggling is the remarkable drop evident in the number of seizures recorded with zero casualties”.

“The perpetrators of these criminal activities are not unaware of what the law says because we have taken enlightenment to them through different ways, including enlisting assistance of traditional rulers, community leaders and the media”.

“Thus, anyone that puts in his savings or obtains a loan to invest in any illegitimate business will have to contend with the attendant consequences of such choices, when the law will take its natural course. No matter the mouth-watering returns people expect to make from smuggling, they should have it at the back of their minds that they stand the risk of losing their investment, prosecuted and jailed” the FOU Ag controller emphasized.

Ag Comptroller Ejibunu thanked the CGC for his support and provision of operational tools which has enabled the Unit to excel in their duties.