By Kenneth Jukpor
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has collected the sum of N2,627,149,100 in the last three months at the Seme border Command.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) at the Command, Compt. Mohammed Uba revealed this while showcasing it’s anti- smuggling prowess in the last one month, during a press conference at the Seme border post, yesterday.
Uba stated that the colossal sum was collected from March till date. He also stated that the Command was intensifying operations of the enforcement unit to drastically reduce smuggling activities to the barest minimum.
According to the Area Controller of the Command, the Command also made various seizures, including 8,304 bags of 50kg foreign rice which is equivalent to over 14 Trailer trucks of Rice (DPV) plus Levy totaling N88,728,240, 31 X 25litres Jerry Cans of vegetable oil worth N269,911,000, 35 X 50kg bags of sugar worth N444,785,000 and 138 x 25litres of PMS with a DPV of N212,100.
Others were 71 Cartons of expired food seasoning, N458,109, 336 Cartons of alcoholic drinks N4,776,525; 1,582 parcels of Cannabis Sativa concealed in an Indomie truck; and another notable arrest of 55 parcels of another Cannabis Sativa concealed in a Sienna bus. A total of 1,686 parcels of cannabis was seized with street value worth of over N30 million for the period under review.
Similarly, a total of 175 x 6 Yards of Textiles worth N2,242,287, 15 sacks of used clothes of N677,486, 28 cartons of medicaments valued at N1,083,978, 410 sacks of school bags worth N13,227,113, 2,000 cartons of expired biscuits N7,742,700 and a truck loaded with 493 packs of baby diapers valued at N4,100,000.
Compt. Uba also noted that as part of community service efforts, the Customs Comptroller General, Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd) directed that a total of 25,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent of 42 trailers), 650 bags of Sugar, 150 cartons of tin tomato, 150 bags of flour and 250 kegs of vegetable oil were transferred to the Nigeria Army Corps of Supply and Transport (NACST) between the month of April and May, for onward delivery to Yobe state government, Damaturu for distribution to IDPs in the state.
“It could be recalled also that some orphanages based in the Badagry region benefitted from relief materials as distributed by the Sub-Committee coordinating the distribution of Relief materials earlier in the year. Some of the homes are Hephzibah Homes Orphanage, Lady Atinuke Oyindamola Memorial Home for the Mentally Challenged, So-said Charity home etc” he said.
The Command also seized a total of 13 vehicles, notable amongst them are Toyota Highlander (2005), Range Rover (2007), Toyota Rav 4 (2006), Toyota Venza (2010) and others. The combined duty paid value (DPV) for the vehicles stands at N46,129,800 making a Grand total for both seizures and revenue at N2,793,242,214.21.
Meanwhile, the Area Controller confirmed that six suspects were arrested during the period under review.
Despite these achievements, in the last three months the Command also witnessed a beehive aggressive anti-smuggling activities as the anti-smuggling vendetta led to spectacular seizures of fradulent killer imports and smuggled cargoes including concealed Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Indian Hemp.
In line with the ongoing Customs inter-connectivity arrangement between Nigeria and Benin Republic which will revolutionize Customs operations at the border post, Uba stressed that the Seme Command aims at harnessing modern communication tools to improve cross border trade.
