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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Niger/Kwara/Kogi Command says it generated about N1.14 billion between January and April this year.
The command made this disclosure in a statement made available to journalists on Friday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Benjamin Lomba.
He disclosed that the money generated by the command within the first four months of the year, represents 37.2 per cent of the annual target of the command.
“Our records shows that within the first four months of the year, the Command has generated One Billion One Hundred and Thirty Eight Million One Hundred and Ten Thousand Two Hundred and Six Naira Twenty Nine Kobo (N1, 138,110,206.29) which represent 37.2% of the annual target,” he said, adding that for the month of April, the Command generated N323,354,642.43 exceeding the monthly target with N69, 046,333.72.
He explained that in the same corresponding period under review (last year), N534, 952,901.95 was collected as revenue showing a huge increase by N603,157,304.34.
According to Lomba, the Command’s annual target is N3,051,699,704.51 while the monthly target allocated to it is N254, 308,308.71.
The spokesman also revealed that under its revitalised anti-smuggling operations, the Command led by Comptroller Abba-Kassim Yusuf made 18 seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N21.1 million from January to April, 2019. Seized items include used vehicles, second hand clothing, foreign rice and other uncustomed goods.
His words: “The effort put in place by the Niger/Kwara/Kogi Customs area Controller, Compt. Abba-Kassim Yusuf to realize the mandate of the Comptroller General of Customs is yielding positive result, as the rate of smuggling of prohibited goods through the Command territory has reduced to the barest minimum which resulted to increase in the revenue generated for the first four month of the year 2019.”
He stressed that officers and men of the Command will not rest “until there is a total compliance that will translate to effective revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, facilitation of legitimate trade and protecting our national security”
According to him, the Customs area Controller attributed the huge success to the support of the management led by Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali Ibrahim (rtd) and strategic policies put in place.
He expressed the Command’s optimisim in surpassing its 2019 revenue target because with 37.2% of annual target already generated in four months, the Command has eight months to generate 62.8%
In his statement, Lomba also revealed that Compt Abba-Kassim Yusuf has taken anti-smuggling campaign to the media especially in Niger where the Command headquarters is located.
He said the Customs boss paid courtesy visits to NTA, NSTV, Radio Niger and Prestige FM. He also visited Search FM Federal University of Technology, Minna and the College of Education Ultimate FM Station, where he met with the Vice Chancellor FUT Minna, Prof. Abdullahi Bala and the Registrar COE Minna, Alh. Yabagi Alfa.
Abba-Kassim urged the media to help in educating and enlightening students, youth and the general public about the need to encourage the government’s Home-grown Rice policy and desist from smuggling which hurts the country’s economy in no small measure.
The Comptroller declared that the Command is determined to continue to do its best until all forms of smuggling activities into the Command’s area is completely wiped out or reduced to the barest level.