The Nation Newspaper

Tag: customs

  • 95 held as Customs makes N2.5b

    The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos has made N2.5 billion from its anti-smuggling activities and arrested 95 suspected smugglers.

    The amount was generated between January and last month.

    The command, findings revealed, intercepted contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1,295,600,724.95.

    The unit also recovered  N1,286,730,671.90 from duty payments and demand notices on general goods from importers.

    The 95 suspects were arrested over the importation of foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake pharmaceutical/medicaments and general merchandise.

    The Area Controller, Mr Mohammed Uba Garba said the fear was achieved with the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd).

    He praised the commitment and diligence of his officers and men because of their professionalism and advised them to be diligent in performing their statutory responsibilities; most especially in anti-smuggling operations by making sure all revenue linkages are blocked.

    “Smuggling is a global phenomenon,which cannot be curbed entirely but can be brought to its barest minimum. This feat was not unconnected with the courtesy calls I paid to some key stakeholders most especially sister security agencies within our areas of jurisdiction comprising the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lagos; Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Cantonment Ikeja; Commander, 35 Artillery, Nigerian Army, Alamala Baracks Abeokuta, Ogun State; Commissioners of Police in Ogun and Lagos states where I sought for their continuous support and cooperation towards winning the war against smuggling, ” he said.

    Comptroller Uba called on all the media and the general public to continue to support the service in the advocacy campaign against the evil of smuggling to the nation’s economy and provide necessary intelligence that could assist the NCS in its operations.

  • 95 held as Customs makes N2.5b

    The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos has made N2.5 billion from its anti-smuggling activities and arrested 95 suspected smugglers.

    The amount was generated between January and last month.

    The command, findings revealed, intercepted contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1,295,600,724.95.

    The unit also recovered  N1,286,730,671.90 from duty payments and demand notices on general goods from importers.

    The 95 suspects were arrested over the importation of foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake pharmaceutical/medicaments and general merchandise.

    The Area Controller, Mr  Mohammed Uba Garba said the fear was achieved with the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd).

    He praised the commitment and diligence of his officers and men because of their professionalism and advised them to be diligent in performing their statutory responsibilities; most especially in anti-smuggling operations by making sure all revenue linkages are blocked.

    “Smuggling is a global phenomenon,which cannot be curbed entirely but can be brought to its barest minimum. This feat was not unconnected with the courtesy calls I paid to some key stakeholders most especially sister security agencies within our areas of jurisdiction comprising the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lagos; Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Cantonment Ikeja; Commander, 35 Artillery, Nigerian Army, Alamala Baracks Abeokuta, Ogun State; Commissioners of Police in Ogun and Lagos states where I sought for their continuous support and cooperation towards winning the war against smuggling, ” he said.

    Comptroller Uba called on all the media and the general public to continue to support the service in the advocacy campaign against the evil of smuggling to the nation’s economy and provide necessary intelligence that could assist the NCS in its operations.

  • Customs e-auction produces 195 winners

    Customs e-auction produces 195 winners

    •19 banks jostle for bidders

    One hundred and ninety-five bidders have been produced as winners of the inaugurated e-auction of the Nigerian Custom Service (NCS).

    The Nation learnt from the NCS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, in Abuja that “the first round produced 43, the second one produced 115 and in the third round, 37 items were uploaded and also won. So, making a total of 195 winners so far.”

    He added that 19 banks have joined the e-auction wallet, which has now relieved the bidders of the hitches they experienced at the beginning of the exercise when only Jaiz Bank participated.

    The bank fell into line after the Comptroller-General, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd), accused them of sabotaging the e-auction exercise even after their involvement in the acceptability test of the process.

    Following the refusal of the banks to participate in the exercise, Jaiz Bank was the lone bank opened to the e-auction bidders. The bank was, however, overwhelmed.

    Consequent upon the challenges in the bidding process, frustrated applicants accused the NCS of engaging only Jaiz Bank for the e-auction to favour Muslims and northerners.

    But 17 banks’ chief executive officers on Tuesday explained to Ali in Abuja that they were having technical challenges and that hindered them from logging onto the e-auction.

    They promised to oblige as soon as they tackle the hiccups.

    The Public Relations Officer, however, told The Nation yesterday that “most of the banks have hooked up”.

    “They said they were experiencing some technical hitches with the Interswitch, which has been resolved. But I can confirm to you that as at today, we have 19 banks in the platform.

    “The import of this now is that interested bidders will now have options of banks to go to,” Attah said.

  • 195 winners emerge from Customs e-auction

    • As 19 bababy’snks jostle for bidders
    Investigations on Sunday revealed that 195 bidders have emerged winners of the recently launched e-auction of the Nigerian Custom Service (NCS).
    The Nation learnt from the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah in Abuja that “the first round produced 43, the second one produced 115, and in this third round 37 items were uploaded and also won. So, this is making a total of 195 winners so far.”
    He also disclosed that 19 banks have hooked on to the e-auction wallet, which has now relieved the bidders of the itches they experienced in the beginning of the exercise when only Jaiz Bank participated in the process.
    The bank fell into line after the Comptroller-General, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd) accused them of sabotaging the e-auction exercise even after their involvement in the acceptability test of the process.
    Following the refusal of the banks to participate in the exercise, Jaiz Bank was the lone bank opened to the e-auction bidders. The bank was however overwhelmed as too many customs had recourse to it for the process.
    Consequent upon the challenges in the bidding process, the frustrated applicants accused the NCS of engaging only  Jaiz Bank for the e-auction in order to favour Muslims and northerners.
    But 17 banks banks that on Tuesday explained to the Ali in Abuja that they were having technical challenges that hindered them from logging onto the e-auction, promising to oblige as soon as they triumph over their hiccups.
    were battling bid for the auctioned items without to The banks refusal to participate in the exercise made the bidding process.
    The Public Relations Officer however told The Nation in his office yesterday that “most of them have hooked up. They said they were experiencing some technical hitches with the interswitch which  has been resolved. But I can confirm to you that as at today we have 19 banks in the platform.
    “The import of this now is that interested bidders will now have options of banks to go to. They are free to choose any bank nearest to them that is in the platform to make their payment.”

  • Customs seizes N372m contraband in Imo

    Fhe Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday said it recorded seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N373,233,523 in June.

    The Controller in charge of the zone, Comptroller Amajam Bukar, spoke during the monthly briefing at the zonal head office in Owerri, Imo State capital.

    The NCS chief said underpayments of N12,040,949 was recorded within the time under review.

    He said: “The figure showed a remarkable increase over what we generated in May, which is N91,868,700 for seizures and N10,646,477 for underpayments.”

    Bukar said the suspects arrested in connection with the seizures had been granted bail after meeting the bail conditions, in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

    The controller said investigations and prosecutions had begun into some cases.

    He said: “Though smugglers keep finding new ways of evading detection, the NCS will keep coming up with ingenious and even better ways of nipping their activities in the bud.

    “The evidence of our commitment can be seen in the quality of seizures and high DPV accruable to the Federal Government. Our work here in the zone will continue to yield great benefits and results to the nation as we improve on our operations to increase revenue generation, security of life and property and trade facilitation.”

    Giving a breakdown of the seizures, the NCS chief said the unit seized 2,993 bags of rice with DPV of N84,198,400,380; cartons of soap with DPV of N10,093.005.00; Range Rover Jeep Sport 2017 model with DPV N37,077,820 and 4,118 cartons of frozen poultry with DPV N83,389,500, which was destroyed.

    Others include Mercedes Benz G65 (AMG) Jeep with DPV of N37,799,998 and a container conveying 10,000 pieces of children’s bags, 303 pieces of suitcase, 15 television sets, 240 pieces of jewellery with a DPV of N111,572,300, among others.

    He said: “The goods and consignments were seized because they contravene extant government policies. The various seizures were made mostly by patrol units in Benin, Enugu, Onitsha, Eleme and Mfum.”

     

  • Customs accuses banks of sabotaging e-auction

    Customs accuses banks of sabotaging e-auction

    THE Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd) has condemned the refusal of Deposit Money Banks (DMB) to participate in the e-auction bidding exercise inaugurated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    He accused the banks of sabotaging the service’s effort at collecting revenue for the federation.

    He said: “I am surprised and I don’t know what to say. This is an economic sabotage. The money you are going to collect is not coming to Customs and it is not coming to me as a person. It is going to the Federation Account that will be distributed to the three tiers of government. So, you deny that.”

    The Customs boss spoke in an interactive session with the chief executive officers (CEOs) of 17 banks that honoured his invitation in Abuja, yesterday.

    He expressed surprise that the same banks which participated in the auction exercise when it was run manually distanced themselves from the automated auction system, leaving only Jaiz Bank as the sole participant.

    With the participation of one bank, the process is cumbersome for bidders, who concluded that the exercise was skewed to favour Northerners and Muslims.

    He said the same banks that collect duties for the NCS were reluctant to be part of the e-auction bidding process.

    The Customs boss said he was glad that 17 banks CEOs were in the session to speak their minds on the issue for possible solution.

    “I want to know if there are problem, and what are the problems?” he asked.

    He noted that fraudulent bidders had infiltrated the process by conniving with one another to circumvent the transparency and integrity of the exercise.

    According to him, whoever cuts corner will be delisted from the system.

    He, however, dropped the hint that the bidding process yielded N25,375,500.00 to the Federal Government.

    The parties resolved that a technical committee with their representatives would meet to iron out the technical issues until the stabilisation of e-auction process.

  • Senate, Customs settle rift

    Senate, Customs settle rift

    •Saraki urges Ali to tackle smuggling 

    The lingering crisis of confidence between the Senate and the leadership of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) may have been laid to rest.

    Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday gave the Comptroller General of NCS. Col. Hameed Ali, the leeway to wear  “jeans and T-Shirt” to office if that would enable him to tackle and end massive smuggling of goods.

    The Senate had insisted on Ali wearing Customs’ uniform before he could be accepted in any of its committees.

    Saraki, who spoke at an investigative hearing on smuggling, vowed that the Senate would stamp out all forms of smuggling from Nigeria.

    Speaking on the role of the NCS in the battle against smugglers, Saraki said: “For the Comptroller General of Customs, let me say on a lighter note that once you end smuggling, even if you want to wear jeans and T-Shirt, I will move the motion that you should wear jeans and T-Shirt. But on a serious note, this issue is very important. Let us all work towards ending this menace once and for all.”

    Saraki, who said the NCS must do whatever it takes to stop smuggling, insisted that smugglers must be checked at all cost.

    He described smugglers as the largest economic saboteurs ruining the country’s economy.

    Saraki noted that his and the Senate leader’s presence underscored the importance that the Senate places on smuggling.

    He said: “It is my view that the singular greatest threat to our economy is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the success of our government is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the deliverance of the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari on the diversification of the economy is this issue of smuggling.

    “The level of smuggling that we are seeing cannot continue because they will definitely rubbish all the policies of government, if allowed to go on. I am saying that with all sincerity and all level of responsibility and I tell you why.

    “Today, the greatest threat to small holder farmers is smuggling. Today farmers who have gone to take loans either from the Central Bank (CBN) or from commercial banks are being threatened by rice coming in from across the borders at subsidised rate. The meaning of that is that the imported rice will always be cheaper than those produced by our local farmers.

    “A time will come, if we do not do anything that these farmers will not be able to pay their loans to the banks and these will result in serious crisis. The banks that have given loans to these farmers will also have crisis in their hands. And for the Central Bank that has intervened with billions of Naira, again will not be able to recoup its money. The processors, who have invested in rice mills at the beginning of this administration, will also be threatened if we do not address the issue of rice smuggling.

    “As a country, we have invested over $7billion over the last 10 years in stimulating local production.

    He said individuals behind smuggling of goods into the country must be exposed.

    The Senate president said officers who are aiding and abating smuggling must be sanctioned and those preventing smuggling must also be rewarded.

    On the connection of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), Saraki noted that although Nigeria is part of the regional body, “no serious country will allow anything that will ruin its economy at the benefit of its neighbouring countries”.

  • Senate gives CBN, NNPC, Customs, others deadline to submit budgets

    Senate gives CBN, NNPC, Customs, others deadline to submit budgets

    THE Senate yesterday gave the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and 34 other statutory federal agencies a seven-day ultimatum to submit their 2017 budgets to the National Assembly for vetting and passage into law.

    The upper chamber said the directive was in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

    The directive followed the observation of Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan that a greater number of the statutory agencies and corporation have failed to comply with the requirement of the Fiscal Responsibility Act to submit their 2017 budget proposals for scrutiny by the National Assembly.

    Lawan noted that ordinarily, the budget proposals of the agencies should have been presented with the 2017 Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He noted that it has become necessary for the agencies to submit their budgets for consideration and passage before the National Assembly goes on recess.

    He insisted that the submission of the budget proposals must be done within the week to enable the parliament do its constitutional duty.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki agreed with Lawan that the consideration and approval of the budgets must be concluded before the end of the session.

    Saraki said it was imperative to pass the budgets before the Senate goes on recess to pave the way for its full implementation.

    Senator Solomon Adeola, in his contribution, said the submission of the budgets should be the responsibility of ministers since most of the agencies and corporations did not have boards to approve the budget proposals.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said laws are made to be obeyed.

    He said since the Fiscal Responsibility Act made it mandatory for listed statutory agencies to lay the budgets for the approval of the National Assembly, affected agencies were duty bound to comply with the law.

    In line with the motion by Lawan, the Senate resolved that the affected agencies must submit their 2017 budget proposal to the National Assembly within the week for consideration and passage into law.

    Other affected agencies are  Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),  Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerians Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerians Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), among others.

  • Customs generates N239.4b in Q1

    Customs generates N239.4b in Q1

    The Nigerian Custom Service (NCS) generated N239.4 billlion in the first three months of this year, figures obtained from the Federal Ministry of Finance have revealed.

    The amount is contained in a document obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria, showing the activities of the ministry of finance in the last two years.

    The NCS, according to the document, stated that its revenue performance for the first quarter of this year exceeded its target of N193.2b.

    This, the service added, was achieved through a reform programme aimed at restructuring the agency, re-orientation of its officers, removing defects and adopting simplified procedures in its activities.

    “The NCS collected N904.07bn in 2015 against a target of N944.4bn; the total collection in 2016 was N898.67b against the target amount of N973.3bn.

    “Between January and March 2017,the NCS was able to generate N239.4b, thereby exceeding the target of N193.22b set for the period,” it said.

    The service also said it had complied with a Presidential directive to deliver all seized perishable goods to the Internally Displaced Persons affected by the insurgency in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Benin camps.

    It said the reforms embarked upon by the government had started yielding results as there is a strict compliance with rules governing the operations of the NCS, adding that a standard operational procedure had been developed to ensure transparency and accountability.

    The service also said it had strengthened international engagements with the World Customs Organisation and the World Trade Organisation for trade facilitation and optimum revenue collection.

    It added that a compliance team had been set up to ensure conformity with trade regulations adding that this would help to block all illegal routes for smuggling.

  • Customs to auction seized goods July 1

    Customs to auction seized goods July 1

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will sell seized goods from Saturday when its auction online portal is opened.

    Its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Joseph Attah, said the goods would be sold to the highest bidders.

    Attah, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs, also said the NCS has  embarked on campaigns on the trade facilitation programme and related issues to key into the Ease of Doing Business.

    NCS’s PR Unit has unveiled posters and flyers, urging importers and agents to make genuine declarations of their goods to boost quick cargo clearance from the seaports, airports and border stations.

    Given the approval by its  Controller-General, Col. Hameed Alli (rtd) for the Customs to start e-auction of seized and prohibited goods, the Service has released a video sensitising the public on the plan.

    Besides pasting posters at strategic points in its commands, the Service urged the business community, particularly importers, to avoid prohibited items’ import. It also urged clearing agents on the need to tell importers to pay appropriate Customs  duty.

    He said the Service was keen on improving transparency with stakeholders.

    Attah added that if there was improved compliance among importers and clearing agents, cargo clearance would be faster.

    ‘’Our campaigns are targeted at a broad audience base because the more we dominate the various conventional and new media outlets with the true information for public consumption, the more difficult it becomes for unsuspecting members of the public to be misled or scammed.

    “We had come out with a video that was shown on major television stations) on our weekly Customs Duty Programme.

    “This is one sure way of fighting ignorance, which we all know is not an excuse for anyone caught on the wrong side of the law.

    “My Controller-General is committed to transparency and lawful ways of transacting government business and utmost integrity in relationship with our fellow government agencies and  private sector stakeholders,” Attah said.