By Olubunmi ISIOPHKE, Lagos
Committed to eradicate smuggling activities if not reduce to the barest minimum, the Ogun 1 Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has descended heavily on smugglers operating in the area as the command impounded contraband goods with duty paid value of Three Hundred and Ninety Eight Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira Only (N398, 470, 687:00) on various items within the month of October 2023.
This information was disclosed by the Customs Area Controller, Acting Comptroller, Shuaibu Ahmadu Bello in a chat with newsmen at the command.
The CAC said, “Among the seized goods are 4,684 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice and 901 parcels of Marijuana.”
Comptroller Shuaibu Bello, asserted, “The command generated the total sum of Thirty Million Naira, Four Hundred and Eight Thousand Two Hundred and Seventy Six Naira (N30, 408, 276:00) in the month under review.”
His words: “From 1st to 31st of October, 2023, the Command generated the total sum of N30,408,276.00 as revenue, through baggage assessment and auction sales of seized petroleum products. In comparison with the amount of Five Million Four Hundred and Eighty Seven Thousand and Seventy Six Naira Only (N5, 487,076.00) collected in the corresponding period of year 2022, there is a significant increase of Twenty Four Million Nine Hundred and Twenty One Thousand Two Hundred Naira Only (N24,921,200.00), which is over 400% increment. We are able to achieve this feat due to our unwavering commitment to trade facilitation and robust stakeholders’ engagement.”
However, he stressed that the achievements underscored the Command’s unwavering commitment to contributing to economic development and national security of our dear nation, through the mandate of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling and trade facilitation in Ogun State.
