Nigeria Customs Service rakes in N1.4 billion at Seme border

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Command, said it generated about N1.4 billion from trade across the border in the last two months.

The Controller, Seme Command, Mohammed Uba, who disclosed this during the parade of some seized items in Seme, noted that the Command has intensified operations of the enforcement unit, and has drastically reduced smuggling activities to the barest minimum.He listed some of the seized items to include: 23 vehicles, 4,745 bags 50kg foreign rice, 27 jerry cans (25 litres) of vegetable oil, 34 bags of sugar, 261 jerry can (25 litres) of petrol, 80 cartons of poultry products, and 95 new textile materials.

Others are: 24 cartons of Maggi, 20 pieces of household effects, 19 boxes of frozen seafood, 68 parcels of Tramadol, 220×6 yards of Ankara textiles, 180 sacks of scrap metals, a Scania 280 truck carrying two Polaris terrain trucks, and others household items.

Uba said five suspects were arrested in connection with the seized items, while four robbery suspects named: Ibrahim Fasasi, Alex Bright, Godwin Sunday, and Abiodun Sodiq, were arrested at the Gbaji axis with ammunition and charm, and have been handed over to the Federal State Anti Robert Squad.He also said the Command is determined to strengthen its anti-smuggling operations against trans-border crimes, and equally improve revenue, leading to the blockage of illegal routes leading to the Atlas Park (across the border), adding that the standardisation of transit protocol in line with the international best practice has boosted freight forwarding activities.

He assured that the Command is working tirelessly to guarantee a smoother experience by clearing the congestion within the shortest possible time. Uba appreciated the European Union/ Economic Community of West African States (EU/ECOWAS Commission) for the continued support in management of the joint border post.