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Tag: Comptroller-General of Customs

  • Court orders lawyers to serve Dikko charge in N1.1b fraud case

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered lawyers to former Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Abdullahi Inde Dikko, to deliver to him a charge pending against him (Dikko) in the court.

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu gave the directive yesterday upon being told that lawyers from Mahmud A, Magaji (SAN) & Co were challenging an earlier court order directing the firm to receive the charge and hand same to Dikko.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) filed the 10-count charge, in which it accused Dikko and two others of defrauding the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, of N1.1 bilion.

    The ICPC said it served the charge on the other defendants – Garba Makarfi (a former Assistant Comptroller in charge of Finance at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Umar Husseini (a lawyer) – but has been unable to serve Dikko since it was filed last year.

    In view of the development, the ICPC, on the last date, applied under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) for the charge to be served on the ex-Customs boss through the lawyer who represented him during investigation, a request the court granted.

    At the resumed hearing yesterday, Dikko (the first defendant) was absent, while Makarfi and Husseini were in court.

    When the judge sought to know why Dikko was absent and was not represented by any lawyer, Adenekan Shogunle (for the prosecution) said in compliance with the court’s order, the charge has been served on the law firm of Mahmud A. Magaji (SAN) & Co for onward delivery to Dikko.

    A lawyer from the law firm, Miss. B. O. Odigie, said the charge was wrongly served on her firm, and that she has filed an application to challenge the service.

    According to her, the firm was not briefed by the first defendant to represent him in this case, although the firm was representing Dikko in other cases.

    In view of Odigie’s submission, Justice Ojukwu asked the prosecution lawyer why he prayed the court to be allowed to serve the first defendant through the law firm.

    Shogunle said: “We asked that M. A. Mahmud (SAN) & Co be served because they had acted as solicitors to the first defendant in the cause of investigation. They undertook to produce the first defendant whenever his presence was required.

    “The letter they wrote to that effect is marked: ‘Exhibit ICPC 2,’ dated November 16, 2018, and addressed to the Chairman ICPC, where they introduced themselves as solicitors to the first defendant.”

    When confronted with  the “Exhibit ICPC 2,” Odigie sought time to “put our house in order.”

    Shogunle said he would have prayed the court for the issuance of an arrest warrant against Dikko, but for his realisation that from the way Odigie sounded, it was obvious the firm had not handed the charge to Dikko.

    Justice Ojukwu said the court was not interested in whether or not the law firm was briefed to handle the case on behalf of the first defendant, but that the firm was only required to hand the charge to Dikko as ordered by the court.

    Read Also: Customs housing: Dikko, others for trial from May 23

    She consequently adjourned till November 21 for arraignment.

    Dikko, Makarfi and Hussain are accused of defrauding a real estate firm, Cambial Limited, of N1,100,952,380.96, using their offices.

    In 2010, the NCS was said to have bought a housing estate in Kuje, Abuja, comprising 120 units of duplexes from Cambial Limited at N4.8billion.

    Beside allegedly deducting N819,047,619.04 as legal fees, agency fees, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax, Dikko and Makarfi were said to have asked Cambial Ltd to pay the N1,100,952,380.96 into Hussain’s law firm’s account as “security for the completion of works in the estate,” before the firm could access what was left of N4.8billion paid by the NCS into its (Cambial’s) Zenith Bank account.

    In counts six, seven and eight, Hussain was said to have “entered a deal with Dikko and Makarfi” to transfer N250m to Abys Motors Ltd’s account in GTB, N486m to Hasbunallah BDC Ltd and to withdraw N260m from the N1,100,952,380.96, which they allegedly obtained from Cambial by false pretense.

    Makarfi was, in count nine, said to have received “an aggregate of $3m which was delivered to you in cash by Abdullahi Usman Musa, a representative of Hasbunallah BDC Ltd,” which formed part of the N1,100,952,380.96

    He was, in count 10, accused of making false statement to ICPC’s investigator by claiming that he agreed to receive the N1,100,952,380.96 into his firm’s account “as a favour to Dikko and Makarfi, because he believed the money was death benefit on behalf of an unnamed deceased family friend.”

    One of the counts, Dikko, Makarfi and Hussain. were said to have “on or about the 6th of April 2010, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, conspired with each other to induce one Mr. Yemi Obadeyi, Managing Director of Cambial Limited, to pay the sum of N1,100,952,380.96 into the account of Capital Law Office, a private law firm owned by Umar Hussain  under the pretext that the said sum was required as a refundable ‘completion security deposit’ in respect of the contract  for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for of the Nigerian Customs Service.”

    The defendants’ alleged offences are said to be contrary to and punishable under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

  • Customs chief gets 72-hour ultimatum on task forces

    Freight forwarders operating in the Lagos Western Zone, yesterday issued a 72- hour ultimatum to the Federal Government to call the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (rtd) to order. They specifically want Ali to address the multiplicity of customs task forces at the ports.

    They threatened  to withdraw their services from the port if their demand was not met by nest week Monday.

    Speaking at a joint press briefing in Apapa yesterday, various associations which include Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, accuesd the customs chief of deploying a team from Abuja to micro-manage the activities of the various commands.

    The freight forwarders identified 10 various units of customs constituting bottlenecks inside the port to include CG Strike Force, Compliance Team, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Monitoring,  Special Force, CG Task Force, Information Team, Customs Police, among others.

    The development which spiked tension in the port was the recent deployment of a special team from Abuja to inspect third party cargoes.

    Tin Can Chapter Chairman of ANLCA, Prince Segun Oduntan said the CG committee was sent to Apapa port last Thursday under the guise of inspecting some third party containers. He however said the team has taken over the job of the customs officers in the command.

    As a result of this development, he alleged that cargoes are now detained inside the ports while agents are made to pay exorbitant demurrage to terminal operators. He said the 24 -hour cargo clearance is now a mirage as a result of this anomaly.

    But responding, spokesman of  the NCS, Joseph Attah, said the Service’s anti-smuggling activities are anchored on three layers: the Command resident officers, FOU and the Headquarters Strike Force.

    “As a responsive organisation, NCS will continue to look forward to credible information about any team or officer that may be involved in an unethical practice for appropriate disciplinary action(s). NCS cherishes the existing  cordial  relationship with importers/agents and other relevant stakeholders whose activities have symbiotic impacts.

    Accordingly, management is open to any engagement that is aimed at enriching the system while not infracting on extant laws,” Attah explained.

    Attah said while the Service welcomes constructive criticism and suggestions that will help the course of making Nigeria a friendly  investment destination, however, blanket accusation and even call for dissolution of otherwise hard working and highly productive out fit such as the HQ strike force known for making high profile seizures of ammunitions, drugs, rice, vehicles etc appears suspect.

    Also speaking, Western Zone Coordinator of NAGAFF, Tanko Ibrahim, said agents have complained to the Customs area controllers who appeared powerless and directed the operators to channel their complaints to the CG in Abuja.

    “Last week, we saw officers from Abuja who said they were sent to the terminals to inspect some third party containers. But since then, they have remained permanent inside the port.

    “They now randomly select ‘C’ numbers of containers and after cargoes have been released, they would ask you to reposition it for examination and we are made to pay for re-examination,” he said.

     

     

  • Customs records N118b highest monthly revenue ever 

    Three days to the end of August, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has already generated N118billion -the highest revenue monthly collection ever, it was learnt Wednesday.

    The Nation gathered from the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah in Abuja that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday.

    The Customs PRO, who was quoting the Customs boss, said that “this month, the service has generated the highest ever monthly collection. It is still three days to the end of the month. And he announced a collection of N118 billion.”

    Read Also:2019 elections: Customs to deploy scanners in ports

    Attah based the impressive collection on the upgrade of the electronic platform from Nigeria Customs Information System (NISES), stressing that “system has now effectively blocked all the leakages that were associated with the former platform. It now monitors every Kobo being collected in the system.”

    The spokesman added that the no nonsense stance of the Comptroller-General was also accountable for the hugest monthly collection.

    The implementation of NISES, he said, is now giving rise to increase in revenue collection and increased contribution to the national treasury.

    He noted that the collection will assist the government to meet its promises to the citizenry in terms of infrastructure development in the face of dwindling oil revenue.

    Asked whether the implementation of the National Automative Policy has improved the industry or worsened it, Attah said that being a government policy, the NCS is bound to implement it.

    Continuing, he said that “ours is to implement. But then if you go to the streets, you will know how many cars have been assembled indigenously, and what local value content was brought into it.”

     

  • Customs raises panel to investigate importation of military wears

    The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Wednesday inaugurated a committee to investigate the illegal importation of military wears including camouflages, boots, T-shirts and other items into the country.

    The Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, who broke the news in a statement, said that the ceremony was held in Abuja.

    Read Also:Customs impound over N8.8m prohibited items in Kano

    According to the statement, “Following Seizures of Military Hard wears by Operatives of Nigeria Customs Service in recent times, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has inaugurated a high powered investigation panel under the Chairmanship of ACG Sanusi Umar to conduct a very thorough investigation with a view to fishing out all those connected to the unholy importations.”

    The statement recalled that within the last one month, Officers and Men of the NCS Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ and Operatives of the Onne Area II Command Port-Harcourt at different times, intercepted a (2X40ft) containers, MRSU 3040288 and MRKU 4909151 found to contain Military Camouflages and other items on the 27th July 2018 and 16th August 2018 respectively.

    It added that while the first interception was found to contain 11 bales, each containing 400 pairs of new set of military camouflage uniform totaling 4400 sets, the second interception was found to contain 620 sets of completely sewn military camouflage uniform and caps, 10,100 pieces of inner military T-Shirts, 512 pairs of military jungle boots contrary to Schedule 4(13) of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff which falls under Absolute Prohibition and Section 46(b) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).

    Attah noted that while inaugurating the committees, Ali said, “even though preliminary investigations have led to the arrest of five persons including the importer of both consignments, it is imperative that a painstaking investigation is conducted to unravel all those who are remotely connected to the criminal importations with a view to punishing offenders and preventing reoccurrence”.

    The statement said that consequently a high powered committee to be chaired by the Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘C’ Headquarters, ACG Sanusi Umar, comprising ACG E,I&I, ACG Bukar Amajam, DC Olomu B.O, AC Okonmah, S Mr. J.O Oloworaran – DIA and Barrister T.K Wudapba – NCS Legal Adviser has been set up with the following terms of reference:

    The committee was assigned to investigate through the concerned parties, all alleged breaches of the Customs Import Clearance Procedure as set out in our extant law/statute books.

    Ali asked the panel to also investigate and establish the full facts of the case in relation to the importation of both containers (MRSU 3040288 and MRKU 4909151).

    It was also mandated to identify all parties involved in the unholy importations and establish their degree of culpabilities.

    The NCS tasked the owner on profiling all importation previously made by the sole importer or his cronies with the intent of discovering if possibly, this has been a trend.

    The Customs boss asked the committee to make recommendation to the NCS Management on the way forward with the case based on the investigations made.

    Ali charged the panel to liaise with other security agencies, should the need arise during the course of the investigation.

    Responding on behalf of the Committee members, the Chairman of the panel, ACG Sanusi Umar thanked the CGC and the members of the Management for the confidence repose in them and gave the assurance of a very thorough investigation that will leave no stone unturned. He said, as Nigerians and Officers of the NCS, whose personal safeties and professional integrities can be negatively affected by these criminal importations, they will stop at nothing to bring back quality report.

     

  • Customs mourns anti-smuggling officers

    Customs mourns anti-smuggling officers

    Nigeria Customs Service is mourning the killing of its anti-smuggling operatives, Chief Superintendent of Customs Maidama Yabo and Assistant Superintendent of Customs I Babandi Nuraddeen Shaba who were brutally gunned down by people suspected to be Armed Robbers at Dogon Hawa, Katsina State.

    While investigation is on-going to ascertain the motive behind the killing and carting away of one (1) AK 47 riffle with its magazine loaded with ammunitions, helmet, bullet proof vest and Service shoes, NCS Management during its 13th regular meeting for the year held at Abuja expressed deep sense of sorrow over the loss of two (2) officers known for their dedication to the course of fighting smugglers.

    In an emotion laden voice, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) bemoaned the fallen colleagues praying the Almighty Allah grant them eternal rest.

    This was contained in a statement that the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah issued in Abuja yesterday.

    According to the statement, while condoling the families of the deceased officers, he expressed the resolve of the Service to do all that is possible to bring the killers to justice.
    NCS Management laments the inclination of smugglers and other criminal elements who are quick to inflict violence on anti-smuggling operatives who are carrying out their statutory functions.

    While lamenting the relative public silence that followed the heinous killing of the two (2) officers, NCS wishes to warn that henceforth, anti-smuggling operatives will not hesitate to use appropriate force to defend themselves while enforcing the extant laws governing Imports and Exports in Nigeria. Customs officers and indeed all security operatives are Nigerians whose lives are valuable to their families and the nation at large.

    The meeting ended with the resolve to appropriately reward the officers posthumously and to see the great lost as a push to go even harder on smugglers.

  • Senate probes banks over N30tr foreign exchange manipulation

    Senate probes banks over N30tr foreign exchange manipulation

    The Senate Wednesday launched investigation into alleged foreign exchange allocation manipulation involving over N30 trillion.
    Many banks operating in the country were fingered in the deal said to have been perpetrated between 2006 and 2017.
    The banks were specifically queried over alleged manipulation and connivance with importers to defraud the country of huge sums of money.
    The investigation followed Senate mandate to its Committee on Customs and Excise to probe and identify revenue leakages and malpractices in the import and export chain.
    Chairman of the committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma who invited chief executives of banks handed them bulky documents detailing the amount of foreign exchange they received on behalf their importer customers.
    Uzondinma gave the banks three weeks to furnish the committee with details of the utilization of the foreign exchange they bought on behalf of their customers.
    He noted that preliminary investigation by the committee showed malpractices ranging from unutilised Form M, abandoned Form M, partially utilised Form M, abandoned assessments of Custom duties and foreign exchange allocation manipulation.
    Uzodinma said, “You recall Senate that in plenary mandated this committee to investigate and identify areas of revenue leakages in the entire import and export circle.
    “The committee started investigation and took time to enter into the import and export value chain and identified supposedly areas of leakages and malpractices, ranging from unutilised Form M, abandoned Form M, partially utilised Form M, abandoned assessments of Custom Duties and foreign exchange allocation manipulation.
    “We have been able to also go into the database of the operating system in the Nigerian Customs Service. We identified Form M by Form M, import by import, vessel by vessel, liabilities of importers and commercial banks that are yet to be handled.
    “We are talking about monies in the regions of over N30trillion. We have been able to give all this information to the various banks who purchased foreign exchange on behalf of the importers to go home and come back to show us evidence of utilisation of the forex.
    Failure of the banks to give evidence of utilization they will be compelled to refund the foreign exchange they bought from Central Bank of Nigeria or inter-bank, purposely to be used for import.
    “What we are saying in essence is that the amount of foreign exchange government is giving out to commercial banks and importers for the purposes of importation are not being utilised as agreed.
    “This is making foreign exchange scarce in the market. In essence making the foreign exchange that government is giving to importers not to be tied to activities of importation.
    “So, we don’t see this as a healthy development because in the process, some Asian companies are now round-tripping, sending monies that they don’t deserve out of this country without due process.
    “I’m sure that by the time we conclude this investigation and action plan that we set out to implement, I can tell you that the exchange rate will come down drastically because only genuine importers will now enjoy government forex allocation.”
    On the banks involved, Uzodinma said that no bank is exempted.
    He said, “All the banks are involved; the banks that are dead and the ones living. The ones that are no more operating were acquired by some banks. So, the activities of those that are no longer in operation we have been able to tie them to those that acquired them as part of the liabilities. Of course, we will expect that most of the banks that acquired these banks must have carried due diligence on them.”

    On why banks alone were fingered in the deal, Uzodinma said that the Foreign Exchange Utilisation Manual prepared by the Central Bank as a regulation guiding import and export entrusted commercial banks quantum of responsibilities.
    He explained that banks purchase money on behalf of the importers.
    “So, once you are acting on behalf of somebody the offence or the inaction of that person is your own inaction. We are now calling the banks because they are supposed to be the gateway for us to enter into the stream.
    “So, by the time the banks who must have carried out Know Your Customer programme, they know the addresses, the places of these importers and they are the people that opened Form M for them.
    “They are the people that purchased foreign exchange for them. The regulation requires them to monitor to ensure that these importers pay the correct custom duties on the importation. Also, there is what we call Bills for Collection.  It is the responsibility of the banks to know, ascertain and confirm that the documents sent as Bill for Collection that will warrant the release of the forex to the exporter are genuine. It is contained in the manual,” he said.
    Uzodinma said that Minister of Finance, CBN governor, Minister of National Planning and Comptroller General of Customs have been invited to appear at the next sitting of the committee on the issue.
  • Buhari, Dogara meet in Aso Villa

    Buhari, Dogara meet in Aso Villa

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    It was also gathered that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki was expected to join the meeting.

    Dogara arrived the Villa at exactly 12 noon.

    The meeting may not be unconnected with the face-off between the Executive and the legislative arms of government.

    The grey areas included the summons of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, who was to appear in uniform, the rejection of Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the extension of tenure of a Permanent Secretary by the President which the House of Representatives is currently kicking against.

    The Presidency last week set up a committee to meet with the leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly to reach a compromise on the issues.

    The committee chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has membership including ex-lawmakers in the cabinet.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • Senate to Customs CG: You must appear Wednesday in uniform

    Senate to Customs CG: You must appear Wednesday in uniform

    …I won’t appear, says Customs CG

     

    The face-off between the Senate and the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) over retrospective duty payment of vehicles worsened Tuesday.

    The upper chamber insisted that the Custom’s boss must appear before it Wednesday in uniform.

    It described Ali’s letter requesting for a new date to appear as “an insult to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    The Custom CG had through an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, one Abdulkadir Azarema, written to inform the Senate that he would not be available Wednesday as invited.

    The CG requested for a new date to appear claiming that Wednesday 15th, March 2017 he was scheduled to appear before the Senate coincided with the fortnight meeting of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) management.

    Apparently to show the disdain with which the Senate regarded the letter, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, directed the Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh, to read the CG’s letter.

    It read in part, “Letter from CG, Re: Invitation to brief the Senate. “I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter number Nass/CS/8S/R/09/29 of 9th March, 2017 on the above subject matter.

    “I am further directed to inform you that the date given to the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Wednesday 15th, March 2017 to brief the senate in plenary on the retrospective duty payment of vehicles in Nigeria as coincided with the fortnight meeting of the NCS management.

    “Consequently, the comptroller general is humbly requesting for a new date from the distinguished senate.

    “As we await your favourable response, please be assured of the highest regards and esteem of the Comptroller General of Customs. Signed Azarema A. Assistant Comptroller General, headquarters for Comptroller General of Customs”

    Hardly had the Clerk concluded reading the letter when Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, described the excuse given by the CG for new date to appear before the Senate as frivolous.

    Senator Lawan wondered why the CG did not take personal interest to write the Senate but chose a mere assistant comptroller of Customs

    The Yobe North lawmaker however prayed the Senate to give the CG a new date since “two wrongs does not make a right.”

    Lawan said, “First, the excuse for not appearing Wednesday is because it coincided with routine fortnightly meeting of the management of the Nigerian Customs Service. My opinion is that, that does not take precedence on the invitation by the Senate.

    “Secondly, the letter was signed by someone else not the CG. My opinion is that a letter coming to the Senate from the Customs especially an invitation was written for the Customs CG to appear here; he should have taken personal interest to write that letter and signed it. That would have given, in my judgement, some sense of respect for the institution (of the Senate) not for us.

    “I feel slighted and am sure everybody feels the same. However, let me add that this Senate should, if possible oblige the request for the extension to show that we are different. Let’s take him on Thursday if he is saying he can’t be available tomorrow. Two wrongs would not make a right if it is possible. I know we feel hurt but whether it is live coverage or not Nigerians have interest in this and Nigerians will like to listen to the responses and explanations of the CG of Customs.”

    Senator James Manager, (Delta South) disagreed with Lawan insisting that integrity of the Senate was being tested.

    Senator Manager said, “The integrity of this senate is being tested. I want to inform you all particularly those who are first timers here, before you came there was this Senate and Senate remains the same and we have gone very far in terms of building this institution.

    “I have been here since 2003 and so many powerful and great men have passed through this particular chamber and therefore when letters like this are coming from executive bodies, Senate must take a very firm stand.

    “I disagree with my leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan with the greatest possible respect. If the CG had written and signed by him and then going further if he had established personal contact with the President of the Senate through the chairman of the Senate committee on Customs then that would have been understandable.

    “But the man has somebody else to sign this letter to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria this is very significant, an arm of government although  the House of Representatives is there but this is the highest lawmaking body of this country and somebody like CG writing a letter and signed by somebody else.

    “Certainly this is not a matter of two wrongs not making a right. Believe you me, the Comptroller General of Customs must appear tomorrow and the reason he gave that his invitation here is coinciding with a small meeting that is taking place over there.

    “A meeting that is not beyond his control as a human being but this is Senate of the Federal Republic and the man is saying that because of that reason Senate should defer.

    “I think this is an insult of the highest order. I think I met a very powerful Senate in 2003 and the Senate remains the same up till today and by the grace of God when I am leaving here I want to leave behind a very powerful Senate so that while over there I will be proud of the Senate that I left behind.

    “As we speak there are so many products of this place who are listening and who are also itching for action and to some that we don’t go below the standards they left behind. The comptroller general  must appear in uniform tomorrow and anything short of that certainly is not acceptable to me and I want to believe is not acceptable to all the senators and what is not acceptable to all the senators is not acceptable to all Nigerians.

    Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi also explained that the position of the Custom CG was an insult on the Senate and ‘we are not taking it lightly.”

    Abdullahi noted that the subject matter for which the CG was invited was dear to Nigerians.

    He insisted that the Senate was prepared to stop any policy that impinges on the welfare of Nigerian.

    The lawmaker who said that Customs boss was taking Nigerians for granted added Nigerians were being asked to pay for the inefficiency of NCS.

    He said that the policy is anti-people and must be shelved.

    Saraki in his ruling said that Senator Lawan spoke the way leaders are meant to speak in trying to see how best to move forward ‘but again we are all guided by the general view and opinion and integrity of this institution.

    “I think it is clear and it’s a collective position as spoken by Senator James Manager. I don’t think there is need for us to prolong this issue. The position of the Senate is clear, he (CG) should appear tomorrow (today) as directed in uniform by the earlier resolution and we await to see him hereWednesday morning by 10:30am and after we finished because also tomorrow we have the Acting Chairman of EFCC who is also appearing before us for screening Wednesday and it will follow at 11:30am.”

     

     

  • ‘Customs service collected over N95b in August’

    ‘Customs service collected over N95b in August’

    The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in August generated N95,760,763,642.04 which has been documented as the highest in the last 10 months .

    The Public Relations Unit of the NCS made this known on its website on Monday, saying: “Last month, August 2016, the Service recorded the highest revenue in 10 years despite the Forex difficulty, low imports and general economic downturn. The Service generated N95,760,763,642.04, a feat that points to the efficacy of the Comptroller-General’s policy thrust.”

    According to statement, the strong stance of the CGC on issues of Discipline, Integrity and Strict adherence to Customs Codes and Clearance procedures is yielding positive results in the areas of suppression of smuggling and revenue collection.

    The statement reads in part: “Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) on assumption of office as the Comptroller-General of Customs August last year arrived with a three prone Presidential mandate, namely:- Reform, Restructure and Raise revenue.

    “To achieve these, he drew his policy thrust, which harped, on Honesty, Integrity and Transparency as bases for achieving the mandate. Starting from the Headquarters and then to all Customs formations across the Country.

    “Knowing that reform and restructuring are activities within the Nigeria Customs Service, while raising the much needed revenue requires cooperation and Compliance from the part of Stakeholders, the CGC embarked on Stakeholders visitations to secure their buy into the new way of doing business with the Service.

    After one year at the helm of affairs, the Nigeria Customs Service, revenue generation profile has continued to be on the rise.