• Impounds 2 petroleum tankers, 7 loads of rice
By Steve Agbota
Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday said that it intercpeted hard drugs and narcotics, 168 live parrot birds, hawks, two petroleum tankers, seven loads of foreign rice and arrested six suspects in connection with the seizures.
Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi stated this during a press briefing in Seme, said that the Command continues to sustain tempo in harnessing all revenue components to achieve desired goals.
On smuggling, he said the Command impounded 3,805 of 50kg bags of rice about seven trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice, 1,756 Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent to 52, 680 liters about 2 petroleum tankers and 1,379 of general merchandise goods between September and October 2023.
He said the Command intercpeted hard drugs and narcotics (40 parcels of Cannabis Sativa), two used vehicles, three live porcupines, adding that the seized Cannabis sativa and suspects will be handed over to NDLEA for further investigation.
“In the area of anti-smuggling operations, you are already conversant with our past headline seizures of one hundred and Sixty-Eight (168) live Parrot birds and a Hawk which are prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which Nigeria is a signatory. This is in addition to other notable seizures recorded between September and October 2023,” he added.
Speaking on revenue, he said that the target for the Command for the year 2023 is N1.966 billion, saying as of the end of October 2023, the Command has collected N3,050 billion.
He said the revenue figure collected exceeded the allotted target of N1.966 billion by N1,084 billion, which represents a 55.1% increase.
According to him, the successes recorded could be attributed to strategies adopted by the leadership of the Command to checkmate revenue loopholes, in partnership with our stakeholders to ensure compliance.
“Under export, the Command facilitated a total of 41,867.88 metric tons involving 1,48 0ne thousand, forty-eight trucks of export products, with Free On Board (FOB) of N8.299 billion. The Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) paid was N41.504 billion. The surcharge paid for the period under review was N40.531 million. The duty paid value for items seized is N326.272 million,” he said.
He hinted that Seme Area Command, and the seat of the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, the foremost frontier for trade in West and Central Africa Area Command and one of the busiest boundary lines in Africa.
“Upon my assumption of duty on the 18 of September 18, 2023, I pledged to adopt sustainable ways and means of dealing with smuggling, while the focus will be on using administrative and strategic levels to block revenue leakages. I also promised to encourage compliant traders and our host Communities along the corridor bearing in mind the challenges of the JBP as one that is still adjusting to the reality of the border closure. We have keep faith within government as talk are ongoing at the highest level to regularize the situation.
“The Command under my watch has made notable impacts in our key performance indicators which are revenue collection, anti-smuggling operations, and facilitation of legitimate trade. Let me appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs for his support to the Command and also appreciate the Seme Badagry Community for their cooperation and to officers and men of the Command for their gallantry and patriotism,” he said.