The Nigeria Customs Service’s Apapa Area Command announced it collected N1.02 trillion in revenue from January to June 2024. This was disclosed by the Customs Area Comptroller, Babatunde Olomu, during a press briefing in Apapa, Lagos, on Monday.
Olomu highlighted that this revenue marks a significant increase of 143% compared to the N421 billion collected during the same period in 2023, despite a notable decrease in trade volume.
“Extra measures have been implemented to prevent losses of government revenue,” Olomu stated, emphasizing the importance of these measures.
Upon assuming his role, Olomu established a revenue recovery committee composed of experienced officers tasked with identifying and addressing revenue leakages, particularly in bonded terminals under the command’s jurisdiction.
During the review period, the command intercepted 11 containers of prohibited goods, including expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals, footwear, used clothing, armored cables, and frozen poultry products. These items had a duty-paid value of N424 million, compared to 42 seizures worth N1.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2023.
Olomu detailed the discovery of expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals in six 40-foot containers, which also contained 7,580 cartons of frozen poultry products deemed unfit for human consumption. These imports violated schedule three of the revised import prohibition list of the Common External Tariff and Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“The harmful effects of fake and unregistered pharmaceutical products on citizens are immeasurable,” Olomu noted, stressing the duty of the service to protect Nigerians from such dangerous imports.
He issued a stern warning to smugglers and those evading duties, stating that the Apapa command is determined to halt illicit importation. He assured that no cargo would exit the port without thorough inspection, using scanners for non-intrusive checks supported by physical examinations when necessary.
Olomu also mentioned that his administration has reformed the handling of transires to ensure meticulous management of cargoes moving from the mother port to bonded terminals.
“We will continue to make seizures, detentions, and arrests as necessary to protect the national economy and prevent Nigerians from exposure to dangerous or unwholesome products like illicit drugs,” Olomu vowed, reinforcing the command’s commitment to safeguarding the country.
