Tag: Nigeria Customs Service

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)’s Operational Whirlwind has seized a total 94,550 litres of petrol from across the country.

The petrol, parked mostly in Jerry cans and drums, were intercepted from people suspected to be diverting the product from where they were intended for domestic petrol stations to mostly neighbouring countries.

Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, who announced the seizures in Yola yesterday, said the seizures resulted from further anti-smuggling efforts after he first addressed reporters on their activities on June 10, this year.

The CGC had announced that the Operational Whirlwind had seized 150,950 litres of PMS worth N105,965,391.

At a press conference yesterday, the CGC, who was represented by a Customs Deputy Comptroller-General, Olaniyi Olajugun, said the Operation Whirlwind has continued to make strides in curbing the illegal export of petroleum products.

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He added that the operations had recorded substantial seizures in various locations which include the Northwest borders in the Sokoto-Kebbi axis, the Southwest borders around Seme-Badagry and Idiroko axis, as well as the Southern borders in Cross River and Always Ibom states.

Earlier, at the Adamawa/Taraba Customs Area Command headquarters in Yola, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Controller Hussein Keinde, said the seizures marked another milestone in the fight against economic saboteurs.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Port Command yesterday said it generated N1, 6trillion as revenue at the end of the third quarter (Q3) of this year.

The cash is higher than N1,1trillion  that was collected as total revenue of the Command, last year.

The total amount generated in the third quarter of this year alone, is N1,610,906,781,421.82k, while the total amount generated by the command for the whole of last year was N1,172,414,793,960.32k

Addressing reporters, its Area Controller, Babatunde Olomu, described the feat as a fallout of diligence and integrity, saying the command will continue to engage the stakeholders to improve on the revenue collection achievements and reduce smuggling recorded to the lowest minimum in the command.

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He stated that the N201.8 billion collected in July 2024 and N193.9billion in September 2024 were spectacular figures capable of being replicated again in the last quarter of the year beginning from this month October.

Olomu added that the various trade facilitation programmes put in place by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi like advance ruling, time release study and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) “are being dutifully implemented for the overall benefit of the nation’s economy.”

While commending officers of the command for the achievement in revenue collection relying on diligent examination and uncompromising interventions through issuance of demand notices, of, when and where when necessary, Olomu reiterated the CGC’s zero tolerance for smuggling and corrupt practices.

He said the command, “will continually engage with all stakeholders to sustain the rising level of compliance, which has resulted in reduced smuggling in the area.

Olomu added that “ the strict monitoring of cargoes, constant profiling of port users, sensitization of stakeholders and in-house training, and retraining of customs officers have jointly contributed to the almost zero level of smuggling in recent times.

He urged all port users in Apapa to avail themselves of the services of the dispute resolution team to resolve all areas of uncertainty while reassuring licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and haulage operators of the command’s readiness to assist at all times.

He thanked sister government agencies for their support and stated that the command will always leverage on its relationship with them to share intelligence against criminal elements, do joint examinations in line with extant standard operating procedures (SOPs) and promote compliance at all times.

“Our revenue collection is good, and I know we can do better with more impressive results in the last quarter of 2024.

“I want to thank our compliant stakeholders for their cooperation in supporting us to achieve this level of collection. Reduced smuggling activities is a testament to affirm the compliance we are celebrating, and I can say the best is yet to come. We are not losing guard. Our tempo of vigilance is airtight, which attests to our capacity to detect smuggling and make seizures.

“As we do trade facilitation, our anti-smuggling activities are done side by side leveraging on our non-intrusive technology for cargo scanning and physical examination when necessary. Let me also state that these standards and procedures are strictly adhered to in all bonded terminals under our control, “Olomu said.

The Lagos Free Trade Zone of the Nigeria Customs Service says it generated N115 billion in revenue over the past six months. Its Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Olanrewaju Olumoh, disclosed this at a stakeholder engagement in the Free Trade Zone in Lagos, yesterday. He expressed optimism that the command would meet and surpass its annual target by the end of the year.

“The initial revenue target given to the Free Trade Zone was N108.84 billion before it was reviewed to N136.05 billion for 2024. From January 2024 till date, the command has generated N41.3 billion from the Free Trade Zone, compared to N24.7 billion collected during the same period in 2023. This shows an increase of N16.6 billion, representing a 67per centt rise over 2023. For Lekki Port, an initial revenue target of N6.61 billion was reviewed to N8.26 billion. From January to date, N74.67 billion was generated as revenue from the port,” Olumoh said.

Also,  the Kwara Command of the NCS also said it has generated N10, 027, 580,694.63 into the coffers of the federal government between January and May, 2024.

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The command added that in the period under review, that it made 21 seizures of different prohibited items with the  total duty paid value of N35, 416,140,00.

The contraband and prohibited items seized by the Customs officers included 507 bags of foreign rice, one unit of used vehicles, 1,055 pieces of used tyres, 164 Jerry cans of petrol of 25 liters each, totalling 4,100 liters.

The Customs Area Controller, Kwara Area Command, Comptroller Faith  Ojeifo made these disclosures yesterday in Ilorin while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command in the last six months.

Olumoh explained the fundamental benefits of establishing Free Trade Zones to include attracting foreign investments, promoting technology transfer, and creating job opportunities.

Stressing the importance of stakeholder collaboration in achieving these goals, he noted: “It is important to keep sensitising agents and zone operators on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Free Zones to enhance their compliance level and improve their capacity towards better service delivery.”

The General Manager, Operations, Lekki Free Trade Zone, Mrs Oladunni Kareem, emphasised the need for operators to be aware of customs procedures to reduce the time of doing business.

“We want trade facilitation and the Nigeria Customs Service is doing all it can towards that. Revenue collection for the government cannot be overemphasised; we have to operate side by side,” Kareem said.

Kareem noted that trade facilitation would encourage investors and help introduce the free trade zone to other investors, thereby creating more jobs for the youth while assuring of continued collaboration with NCS to improve Nigeria’s trade environment.

Ojeifo said:” I want inform you that from January-May, 2024 we collected and remitted a total sum of N10, 027, 580,694.63.

A comparative review of the preceding year 2023 indicates that the command surpassed what was collected same period last year with N2,885,779,644.03 which represents 40.41%  increment.

“Within the period under review, I rejig my operation teams which had led to 21 seizures of different prohibited items. These include 164 jerry cans of PMS of 25 liters each (4,100 liters). The total duty paid value is – N35, 416,140,00”