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By Steve Agbota
The Seme border command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has said it facilitated 222.442.88 metric tons of goods including 6,253 trucks of export produce, with Free On Board (FOB) value of N32.448 billion. It also said it generated N5.946 billion revenue in 2023.
The command also said it made 513 interceptions valued at N1. 374 billion, which include; 14,181 50kg bags of rice which is equivalent to 24 trailers, 1,220,130 liters of PMS, which is equivalent to 37 tankers load and among others.
The Customs Area Controller, Timi Bomodi, stated these while addressing the media on the activities of the command in the preceding year and the decoration of some of the promoted officers.
He said that the revenue realised under the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) during the period under review was N162.852 million, while the 2.5 per cent surcharge paid was N60.421 million, and 704 SGDs were utilised.
He further said the 2023 revenue collection was the highest collection since 2019, adding that the Command’s revenue target for 2023 was N1. 966 billion.
“As at December 31, 2023, the Command collected over N5.946 billion. The above figures surpasses the set target for the Command by N3.980 billion, which represents a 291 per cent addition.The 2023 revenue figures collected when compared to the corresponding period of the year 2022, exceeded the N1.409 billion collected by N4.536 billion, representing a 322 per cent increase.
“This reinforces our commitment to ensure that the Lagos-Abidjan corridor is perceived more as a trade enabler with huge potential for exponential growth. We will continue to do our best at ensuring that the Command achieves its full potential of trade facilitation without hindrance,” he said.
In anti-smuggling operations, he said that the Command, apart from rice and petrol, seized 39 smuggled vehicles, 8,278 drugs and narcotics, 9,639 general merchandise while 37 suspects were arrested in connection with different seizures.
“In addition to the above seizures, the command equally made headlines in its enforcement of Convention On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) where we recorded seizures of 152 live parrots birds and other animals protected under the convention and 6,000,000 fake dollar bills among others.
“The successes recorded by the Command in the preceding year could be attributed to the incentives and motivation given to the officers and men of the command by the management of the Nigeria Customs Service. The Command will continue to sustain tempo in the fight against all illicit trade within the nooks and crannies of the command.
“Given the encouragement and support this Command has received from the Comptroller General of Customs and the entire management of the Service, we will not only maintain the tempo but work towards meeting the what-ever target that will be set for us in the current year,” he added.
