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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Customs Area Controller, Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bamidele Makinde, has reiterated the readiness of men and officers of the command to conform strictly with the new Customs Service Act 2023, in the discharge of their constitutional duties.
Makinde said that the Customs Service Act 2023, with various sections and subsections of which empowers Customs operatives to carry out patrol freely in the exercise of their duties in enforcing Customs & Excise Laws, making seizures/detention, and arrest of suspects in connection with smuggling activities, would be adhered to by the command in preventing smuggling and enhancing international trade.
The Area Controller who made this known in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun 1 Area Command, Hammed Bukoye Oloyede, added that “The Act also prescribes various punishments on trade-related matters. Examples of such are obstruction of officers, hindrance, molestation or assaults on officers while on lawful duty as well as preventing seizure of items, or arrest of a suspect which attracts a fine of N5,000,000.00, imprisonment for 5 years or both”.
He noted that the official visit of the Acting Comptroller-General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to the command recently, would serve as a motivation for the operatives of the command to raise their performance tempo.
Makinde further observed that though his men and officers have always been diligent and steadfast in their fight against economic sabotage by smugglers, the visit of the Acting Comptroller-General on Sunday, August 6, would further spur and encourage his men and officers to sustain and improve their anti-smuggling stance.
The Customs boss stressed in the statement that the command under his watch, has continued to sustain its performance on the mandate of revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling.
On revenue generation, the Command, according to Makinde, generated a sum of N13,370,229.00 in the month of July from baggage assessment and proceeds from auction sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
He, however, commended the compliant travelers for their honesty and patriotism which made part of the generated revenue a reality.
“In the area of anti-smuggling activities, the Command made a seizure of 2,113 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, 21 units of vehicles (means of conveyance and Tokunbo); 17,950 litres of PMS and 1,416 pieces of used tyres among others. The seizures were made from different locations across Ogun State and were mainly intelligence-driven. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items is N106,757,592.00”, he added.
While commending Ogun 1 Area Command’s operatives for their immense contributions to the laudable achievements of the command, the Controller consequently charged them to remain resolute in the discharge of their duties, which according to him, must be done with courtesy without loss of dignity.
Makinde, who noted that the command’s stakeholders’ engagement would continue to be brought to bear, equally lauded sister agencies for their collaboration and joint fight against economic saboteurs.
