Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has collected N1,023,663,842,255.63 in the first half of 2024 at the nation’s premier port, Apapa seaport.
The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu revealed this on Monday, even as he disclosed that the Command introduced a Revenue Recovery Committee to curb loopholes, mostly from bonded terminals.
According to the Apapa Customs boss, the Command’s revenue for the first half of 2024 shows an increase of 143% when compared to the 2023 figure of N421,382,166,378.46.
His words: “Upon taking over as Area Controller of Apapa, I set up a revenue recovery committee comprising of seasoned and dedicated officers with a mandate to carryout more detailed look into areas of leakages, especially in bonded terminals under Apapa Command.”
“We are applying a blend of intelligence with community relations for better awareness of our operating environment to achieve greater trade facilitation and fight criminality. I have a team of dedicated officers charged with the responsibility of addressing all complaints or disputes within record time before escalation to my office for prompt action.”
The Command equally made seizures of 11 containers comprising prohibited items such as expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals, footwears, used clothing, armored cables, frozen poultry products, among others with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N424,105,975.
He noted that last week a large quantity of expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals in 3x40ft container numbers TCKU 6928184, MRKU 4422733, MRSU 5550243, and another 3x40ft container nos. MNBU 3934925, MEDU 9107559 and MEDU 9752980 loaded with 7,580 cartons of frozen poultry products unfit for human consumption.
“Let me state that the harmful effects of fake and unregistered pharmaceutical products on citizens are unquantifiable and as a responsible Service, we owe Nigerians the duty of preventing them from being exposed to this dangerous importation.”
“I want to use this opportunity to sound a note of warning to perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and other extant laws, that Apapa command is poised to nip illicit importation in the bud,” Olomu remarked.
Meanwhile, he added that the Command has reformed the handling of transires by ensuring more meticulous management of cargoes moving from the mother port to bonded terminals to prevent a situation where smugglers attempt to perpetuate illegalities.
The Apapa Customs boss extolled the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for providing the requisite support and leadership, even as he applauded the Command’s officers and other port stakeholders.
