The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Onne Command, said it generated N94 billion revenue last year.
Its Onne Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ifeoma Onuigbo Ojekwu, in a statement, explained that its Customs Area Controller (CAC), Onne, Comptroller Aliyu Saidu, said the cash generated represents about 80 per cent of the Command’s annual target of N117.8 billion.
The CAC said comparatively, the figure is an increase of N373.2 million or 0.35 per cent more than what it generated in 2017.
“Specifically, when relating the revenue collected and seizures to the operational strategies used, the Command focused mainly on intelligence risk profiling of our system with 100 per cent physical examination of cargo at the various terminals and sheds; sensitising stakeholders on the benefits of compliance; application of due diligence and professionalism in documentation and examination of cargoes; and importantly, building synergy with other relevant government agencies such as NAFDAC, SON, Port Health, NDLEA and other sister security agencies especially the Navy, Police and Immigration for information, which has proven to be useful at crucial moments,” Saidu explained.
He said it was on this basis that the Command recorded 61 remarkable seizures of various items such as 9 x 40 ft containers of Tramadol, Hyergra, Diclofenac and analgesic tablets of different types; 64 of 20 containers of foreign parboiled rice and other items such as military uniforms, boots and caps with a total duty paid value (DPV) of N1.6billion.
“A comparative review of the seizure profile of 2017 revealed that the year 2018 surpassed with 37 seizures and DPV of ?1,147,142,275 bringing to about 60.7 per cent increase in seizures and 70.9 per cent increase in DPV, as regards to general enforcement.
“More so, we seized 126 containers, which is 81 per cent increase of the 24 containers confiscated in the preceding year, 2017,” he said.
These seizures, he explained were based on various infractions such as false declaration, concealment, wrong classification, import without end user certificate and complete disregard for import and export guidelines with intent to smuggle in illicit goods.
He however said the Command recorded a high level of compliance on export declarations. For instance, Saidu said a total of 136,973,413.92 metric tons of exported goods with a total Free On Board (FoB) value of $1,126,516,635.9 which is equivalent to N409,083,251,160.73 at N363.14 per dollar) was realised.
