The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday announced a revenue generation of N1.8 trillion from January to October this year, representing over N858 billion higher than its N931.1 billion collections in the corresponding months of last year.
A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Abubakar Usman, quoted the Area Controller, Dr. Babatunde Olomu, as saying that the Command in October generated N264.4 billion the highest collection so far in any month this year.
Olomu expressed optimism of surpassing the Command’s N2.2 trillion revenue target this year even as he hinted of plans to migrate its operations from the old system to a more functionally efficient one.
He explained: “Furthermore, in line with the Federal Government agenda of Ease of Doing Business, the command operates on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that importers take delivery of their cargoes devoid of any delay. We also have an intra-government working system where all government agencies work together as a team without compromising the mandates of our respective agencies.
“Equally, we have a wider customs-stakeholder forum where only issues pertaining to customs alone are looked into and addressed as and when due.
“It is noteworthy to state that just last week the command facilitated the first shipment of cargo to Kenya under the AfCFTA regime”, the Controller added.
Olomu disclosed that based on the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Command had handed over six containers of pharmaceutical and controlled products to NAFDAC and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He explained that this was in line with the inter-agency collaboration between the Customs Service and other sister organisations.
According to him, as a service, the NCS owes Nigerians the duty of preventing the import and export of cargo that could undermine their well-being and security”, adding that the impounded pharmaceuticals have expired, while others are not evaluated by NAFDAC at all.
The Controller explained that the content of the containers, comprising unapproved dosage of tramadol, cough syrup with codeine, injections and others, contravened the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff (CET) and section 233 of the NCS Act 2023.
Olomu further disclosed that the Command recorded 36 seizures of tramadol, unregistered pharmaceutical products, used clothings, frozen poultry product, and other controlled substances valued at over N1.5 billion.
On the commitment of the Command to deal with importers/exporters of contrabands and other illegal products/items to and out of the country, the Controller stressed: “Let me remind all our port users that every consignment passing through the NCS in this port will be subjected to thorough examination using scanners and physical means when necessary.
“We shall continue to detect false declarations, concealment, under valuation and other unethical practices aimed at evading duties, short changing the government and exposing citizens to unsafe products”, Olomu added.
