The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Customs Service

  • Apapa Customs nets N404billion in 2018

    The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday disclosed it generated a N404, 020,447,791/42 as revenue for 2018.

    The figure indicates the Command achieved 95 percent of its revenue target for last year, which was pegged at N426,192,827.46

    A comparative analysis of the revenue showed that in 2018, the command generated N53,042,035, 977.22 more than the 2017 revenue collection, representing an increased collection of 13.13 percent over 2017 collection.

    The Customs Area Controller (CAC) Apapa Command, Bashir Abubakar, who made this known at the Command’s office attributed the success to the selfless stance of officers and men of the command and also with the support and backup of the CGC, Col Hammed Ali and his management team.

    He said the other strategies the command adopted which led to the success includes insistence on seamless operation of the import and export business by his administration, including the introduction of a 24-hour dispute resolution team, one spot examination at all unit and agencies.

    Read Also; Customs intercepts police uniforms, others in Lagos

    The strategies such as advanced system and monitoring, collaboration between internal and external units of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other government agencies, and the implementation of these strategies, he further explained, had helped to block most revenue leakages and enhanced trade facilitation and security.

    “In the year under review, the command also seized and condemned 41 of 40ft containers or controlled pharmaceutical drugs including tramadol in excess of the allowable milligrams with Duty Paid Value (DPV) N8.812billion.

    “Furthermore, the command also intercepted and seized one export bound used helicopter with registration number 5BN valued at N210.6 million, in addition another import bound Aircraft “Cessna 182A” in CKD with serial no. 3400 valued at N486.9 million was also seized in accordance with the provision of the extant laws and guidelines.

    “All these times were seized owning to various infractions such as false declaration, concealment and complete disregard to import and export guidelines,” Abubakar said.

    The Command, he revealed, recorded high level of compliance on export declaration while 2, 500 containers were blocked for non-compliance.

    Yet, he said, the Command recorded 1, 26649.67 metric tons of exported good in 2018 valued $239,467,926.23 (N 73.157 billion).

    He noted the command’s achievement in 2018 earned the command the World Customs Organisation (WCO) award during the WCO day in January 2019.

    The CAC therefore urged stakeholders to continuie corporating with customs by adhering strictly to the extant laws and guidelines on import and export for the collective goods of the nation.

  • Stop embarrassing us, monarchs warn Customs

    The Yewa Traditional Council in Ogun State have demanded immediate end to the routine “embarrassment” of the traditional rulers in Yewaland by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Owode-Yewa in Yewa South Local Government in the “name of suspecting that their vehicles are smuggled.”

    The traditional rulers – 40 of them- lamented they, their people and other Nigerians live in fear whenever they are in Yewaland following recurring “accidental shooting” by the Operatives of the NCS.

    The Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, who addressed reporters at the Council hall in Ilaro on behalf of 40 other traditional rulers in Yewaland, expressed sadness that all calls and SMS messages he sent to the NCS Comptroller General, Col. Hammed Ali, highlighting their plights in the hands of the Operatives were ignored.

    Olugbenle added similar calls and SMS to the Deputy Comptroller General (Enforcement) DCG Chidi and the state Comptroller, Mike Agbara, were also totally ignored.

    The Paramount ruler reminded the NCS top echelons that “they are not God and not bigger than the law and Nigerians.”

    He also demanded justice and compensation for the gruesome killings of five persons by the Operatives last January while raiding shops and warehouses for suspected smuggled rice.

    The Oba said the Yewa Obas were pained by the incessant cutting down of lives of their people and inflicting of severe injuries to others, by NCS Operatives, said the activities of the NCS  have become a grave concern to them and called for a thorough investigation into the killings of those innocent Nigerians.

    Olugbenle faulted claims by the Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, that one person was killed on January 24, when the Operatives raided some houses and shops suspected to be housing smuggled items whereas the contrary is the case.

    He lamented that the Operatives have been mowing down, maiming and harassing their people in the name of riding Yewa area of the state of smugglers, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and other security agencies to urgently wade into the danger NCS Operatives now posed.

    Olugbenle said: There are evidences that five persons were killed by men of the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday 21st, January. Two of the victims have been buried by their families while post -mortem was carried out on three others.

    “I don’t know when a bag of rice becomes a valuable item than the life of any human being. They should not take laws into their hands.

    “They should seal up any property housing contraband goods rather than raiding shops which could lead clash. Government has the power to confiscate anything.

    “The question is -how did contraband goods get to town considering the number of checkpoints along the border axis?. We are not at war with the NCS. We demand justice and wants the perpetrators of Owode killings brought to book.

    “We are not only speaking the minds of the Yewa people but the minds of Nigerians. The FG and the NCS should improve on surveillance of the border lines areas.

    “They should device means to block all illegal routes being used by the smugglers rather than exposing their inefficiency by killing innocent Nigerians at towns and communities outside the borderline communities in the name of raiding for smuggled items.”

    The paramount ruler hinted that the Council would approach the court to seek redress on the ugly incident.

    Also speaking, the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, called the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, to investigate individual accounts of the NCS operatives manning over 45 checkpoints from Idi -Iroko to Sango.

    He accused some NCS operatives of collecting bribe from the smugglers for easy transportation of smuggled items from Idi -Iroko to other parts of the state.

  • Service beats revenue target

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Tin Can II Command said it exceeded its yearly revenue target, with a record of N23,525,782,214, exceeding the revenue target with over N6billion. The sum, the Service said, represented 36.8 per cent increase in revenue generation. the year under review.

    According to the Service, the revenue performance indices showed that despite several challenges that affected business flow, it still exceeded its revenue target.

    The Command’s image maker, Farouk A. S., explained in a statement that the Command achieved its objectives in the outgone year. He added that the Command Area Controller, Comptroller Lami Wushishi, is looking beyond high revenue profile, as the agenda for this year. This, he said, would speak volume since there are several strategies for re-orientation on ensuring that stakeholders key into the new module that would soon be unveiled to meet maximum productivity.

    According to him, the Command, which has been receiving its maximum revenue from the Free Trade Zone, has established infrastructural tendencies that will overhaul the operational methodology that will be embraced by stakeholders.

    Sequel to Col. Hameed Ali’s reform on suppressing smuggling and the mandate of maximum revenue collection, the Tincan II Customs Service has introduced a stakeholders compliance system for better service delivery.

    The Controller, therefore, reiterated the need for full fledged compliance, advising that 2019 will be different. He also said the Command’s officers are highly commendable.

  • Customs seizes rice, vehicles

    A Mitsubishi Triton L200, 2005 Model, belonging to Blue Boat Company, has been intercepted by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command for rice smuggling.

    The vehicle was conveying the commodity along Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The detained vehicle with registration number GGE 417 XU has Duty of N747,877.63 with Duty Paid Value of N3,337,316.

    The Seme Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Uba Garba Mohammed, said it took intelligence to discover the contents of the vehicle, which he said had beaten other road blocks before it was intercepted.

    The former Federal Operations Unit, Zone A boss noted that the driver escaped, while the van was taken to the command. According to the Controller, 27 other vehicles were nabbed, including 22 fairly used ones.

    He added that notable among them are Toyota Coaster Van (2014 model), Toyota Land cruiser Prado (2011), Mercedes Benz GLK 350 (2010), Toyota Sienna (2013), Toyota 4 Runner (2014).

    He said the combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) for the vehicles stand at N177,314,091.

    Other items seized by the command within the same period include 6,753 bags of 50kg foreign rice, which is said to be equivalent to N121,689,00 DPV with levy of N35,790,900; 45 ×25 litres jerry cans of vegetable oil with DPV of N573,750. 135×50kg of bags of sugar with DPV of N567,000; 71×25 litres of PMS with DPV of N106,500; 21 cartons of Tinned Tomatoes with N127,575 and two sacks of used shoes with N67, 500.

    The Area Controller said 91 parcels of hard drugs and narcotics  were seized, adding that they have been handed over to the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). One of the suspects handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had been prosecuted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

    The command’s generated N1,055,122,539.68 last month.

  • Customs collections hit N1.2tr in 2018

    Nigeria Customs service generated the sum of N1,202,271,240,478.30 for the year 2018, representing N164,897,273,077.50 over 2017 collection which was N1,037,373,967,400.80.

    Commenting on this historic feat, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) described it as the result of dogged pursuit of what is right rather than being populist by compromising national interest on the altar of individual or group interests.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Joseph Attach made this known in a statement on Friday.

    According to him, the rising annual revenue generation from the service in the last three years is the result of reform programmes which include but not limited to:

     Upgrade on the electronic systems from Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS I) to NICIS II which has blocked leakages.
     Strategic deployment of manpower.
     Strict enforcement of extant guidelines by the Tariff and Trade department.
     Robust stakeholder engagement resulting to increased compliance.
     Increased disposition of Officers and Men to put national interest above selves.

    In the same vein, the NCS reinvigorated anti-smuggling operations yielded a total of 5,235 seizures with duty paid value (DPV) of N61,543,633,401.31.

    Read Also: Customs records 4,010 seizures in 11 months

    These seizures include arms, ammunition, more than 59 containers of Tramadol and other controlled drugs and 320,709 foreign rice etc.

    Though smuggling remains a challenge, the service three layers security strategy continues to make smuggling unattractive to the would-be smugglers.

    While the service continues to deal decisively with smugglers, fellow citizens, especially border dwellers and port users are advised to support NCS by reporting any smuggling activity to the nearest Customs formation.

    Together we can protect our economy and security by joining hands to fight smuggling and ensure that appropriate customs duty is paid on every dutiable import.

    Accordingly, we appreciate compliant stakeholders that have supported the Service in 2018 and call on all Nigerians and especially international trade actors to help make 2019 better for the nation.

  • Customs records 4,010 seizures in 11 months

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it recorded 4,010 seizures with duty paid value of about N40 billion between Jan. and Nov. 2018.

    The Service said this in a document, a copy of which was made available by the Spokesman of NCS, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.

    NAN reports that the seizures were slightly lower than 4,889 seizures made in 2017.

    According to the document, the seizures include arms, ammunition, dangerous drugs, vehicles and rice.

    The document indicated that NCS made seizures of 59X40FT containers of tramadol and other controlled drugs across the NCS commands in Apapa (40), Tin Can Port (10), and nine at Onne in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    The Service said in-line with the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture, a total number of 238,094 (50kg) bags of rice were seized across the country within the period under review.

    It explained that NCS had continued to auction the seized items via online platform devoid of any influence, adding that so far, 806 vehicles were uploaded, and 753 winners emerged.

    Read Also: Fire guts 70 shops in Minna market

    “A total of N346,146 million had been generated through the electronic platform as the portal opens by noon, Monday to noon on Wednesday of every week.’’

    NAN recalls that the present Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) had introduced the e-auction platform: app.trade.gov.ng/eauctionon July 3, 2017.

    Meanwhile, the spokesperson told NAN that N1.1 trillion revenue was generated between January and November, 2018 and this had surpassed the N1.03 trillion generated in 2017.

    Attah said that the quantum of seizures made so far by Hameed Ali-led administration was a testimony that the Service had been able to block leakages and enforce the anti-smuggling law strictly in 2018.

    According to him, the strategic deployment of officers and men of the service and the establishment of strike force as the third layers of security, have impacted positively on operations of the Service.

    “We are aware that our insistence on compliance, arrest and prosecution of smugglers and increasing disposition of customs officers to place national interest above self is against the interest of some people.

    “With these achievements, we must have stepped on toes, and that is why some enemies go to town with misleading information accusing the Service of nepotism, non-facilitation of trade and corruption.

    “It is curious that such people will choose the time when officers are turning down bribes like the case in Apapa.

    “Our officers rejected N150 million bribe offered by arrested suspect to save the nation from consuming 40 containers of dangerous drugs.

    “Customs, under the current Comptroller-General, Col Hameed Ali (rtd) cannot be cowed into relaxing its hard stand on enemies of the state.

    “We will insist that all international trade actors comply with the fiscal policy of government,” he said.

    The spokesperson said that the service, charged with the responsibility of implementing the fiscal policy of government would not be deterred by any form of blackmail. 

  • Protesters sack Nigeria Customs post in Benin over killing of driver

    The Nigeria Customs Service post at Ovbiogie village in Ovia North East local government has been sacked by angry protesters after a commercial driver was shot dead.

    An operational vehicle of the NCS was set ablaze while Customs officers on duty fled as the protesters overpowered them despite heavy shootings.

    It was gathered the victim was accosted by some Customs officers on duty and two bags of rice were found inside his bus.

    Eye witnesses said the driver was asked to drop the bags of rice because they were suspected to be contraband.

    The witnesses said an argument occurred and the driver was shot dead.

    Read Also: Benin group tackles Edo Ijaws over Gelegele Port

    According to one of the witnesses, “The customs men stopped the man for carrying two bags of foreign rice. They said the man should drop the rice.

    “After that there was an argument and the man was shot dead. All we want is justice.”

    The protesters vandalized the NCS post at Ovbiogie and carted away some goods already seized.

    It was a reinforcement of soldiers that stopped the protesters from causing further damage.

    A top official of NCS who pleaded anonymity said the men involved were from the NCS Federal Operating Unit in Owerri, Imo State.

  • Allegation against Ali is baseless, says Customs

    The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Joseph Attah, on Wednesday said that a publication of corruption allegation against the Comptroller General,  Col. Hammed Ali was baseless.
    Our correspondent had asked him on phone to respond to an online story that accused the Customs boss of undermining, the anti corruption was of President Muhammadu Buhari.
    Debunking the story by a section of the online Maritime publication,  he told The Nation that “the allegations are bogus and compound in nature, lacking necessary flesh that should add any meaningful value.
    “My worry is about how long it should take for some of NCS stakeholders to accept that things have changed with the current Comptroller General of Customs Col.Hameed Ibrahim Ali rtd.
    After more than three years, such allegations bordering on personal interest on the part of the CGC clearly shows lack of proper understanding of a man whose unquestionable Intergrity  preceded his present  position as the CGC.
    “Allegations of corruption appears to be the cheapest anchor point where there is hidden intention to smear anybody or organisation in Nigeria. It is therefore not difficult to know that this  one coming from a section of the online maritime  publication is not different.
    “There is no doubt that NCS as presently constituted generates unprecedented  revenue for the FG and more than ever on the offensive against Smugglers with spectacular seizures of arms and ammunitions, dangerous drugs and other items that can compromise national economy and security.”

    Read Also: Customs busts drug syndicate

    The story had said that indications  have emerged that  President Muhammadu  Buhari’s anti-corruption battle is being compromised by the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) headed by Col. Hammed Ali (rtd),the Comptroller General of Customs(CG) sequel  to  the series of activities that have been taking place in the agency.
     
    It said that investigation has  shown that goods on which import duties have been paid are intercepted on the roads by the officers of the Federal Operations Unit(FoU) and the CG’s Strike Force headed by his Principal Security Officer(PSO).
    The only exemption is when the importer or his agent “settles” the officers.
    The PRO was, however, concerned that the allegations were sweeping and devoid of particular incident or names  that could help in investigation.
    “The FOUs, it was alleged have organized syndicates made up of  clearing agents  who collect money illegally on their behalf  to avoid interception of containers.
    The CGC was also alleged to be single handedly awarding contracts to his prefered contractors.
    This, according to Attah, is devoid of the names of the victims, or companies  awarded such contracts that would have helped any investigation.
    The NCS, he said will do better with comments and suggestions that will strengthen the system rather than distractions.

  • Customs rakes in over N26b in Onne

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Onne Command, Area II,  Rivers State, generated N26,388,754,244.37 from duty paid on imported goods between August 16  and this month.

    The command also recorded 10 seizures of prohibited items with duty paid value (DPV) of N543,958,740 within the same period. Area Comptroller Aliyu Saidu said the impounded goods included rice and military uniforms.

    Some of the seized items included 1,070 25-litre jerry cans of vegetable cooking oil with DPV of N8,501,322; 55 20-feet container of foreign rice, which contained 510 50kg bags of rice, 1040 25kg bags of rice, 19,680 10kg bags of rice with total DPV of N364, 746,762; and a 40-feet container comprising 600 pairs of military camouflage uniforms, 600 pairs of military caps, 600 pairs of military jungle boots: all are prohibited items and therefore, has no monetary value as regards duty payment.”

    According to the Area Controller, “found in the same 40-feet container are 15 bales of new clothes, 80 rolls of water hose, 10 cartons of singlets, 50 cartons of shoes, 207 cartons of tiles, 15 bales of socks, five sacks of ladies’ skirt and other items with DPV of N4,682,021 used to conceal the military uniforms.”

    Other seized items, he said, were 13,560 cartons of tomato paste with DPV of N70,502,283; and a 40ft container of car parts, among others.

    Giving a comparative analysis of the command’s revenue profile, Saidu said it generated N62,593,334,451 between January and October, 2017 while it generated N68,331,473,662 in the corresponding period this year.

    He also said the command was facilitating export trade in oil and non-oil sector, and had so far generated through export into National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) account N1.42 billion.

    He, however, condemned smuggling in the country despite the awareness and dire consequences of the act, saying that it poses a “high threat to both the economy and security of the country and this is why those engage in it are considered economic saboteurs since they engage in false declarations to evade the correct duty payment. They are the destroyers of the country’s economy”.

    “The Command under my watch will continue to deal decisively with the economic saboteurs, their agents and collaborators, and work for the security and well-being of the people of Nigeria,” he said.

     

  • Customs 2018 revenue generation hit N792.1 billion in August 

    The revenue collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from January to August 2018, was N792billion.

    A breakdown of the revenue collection shows that it generated N96.6 billion in Jan., N79.26 billion in Feb., N87.58 billion in March and N94.3 billion in April.

    The organization also generated N100.5 billion in May, N98.4 billion in June, N94.9 billion in July and N140.4 billion in August.

    This was contained in a data that The Nation sighted yesterday.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, yesterday blamed the apparently high debt profile of Nigeria to the challenges of low revenue generation that the country is presently grappling with.

    He made the disclosure during a visit to the Nigeria  Customs Service  (NCS) headquarters, Abuja.

    She said that in order to achieve the economic programme of the country, there must be improvement of revenue generation.

    Her words: “People have raised concerns about our debt profile, but we do not have a debt problem. Our Debt ratio to GDP is still below 3 per cent,  which is the threshold set by the Fiscal Responbility Act. What we have is a revenue problem. We don’t have the revenue to pay salaries, to meet the recurrent as well as the capital expenditure.”

    Ahmed said that the functions of the Nigeria Customs Service in regard to revenue generation were key to the success of the Buhari Administration.

    She noted that it was for this reason that the Customs Service was constantly being pushed to improve revenue collections.

    Ahmed said that the government had considered raising Value Added Tax, Excise Duty and also include more items on the Excise Duty list.

    However, she said that the government decided to hold on to the idea, until the economic condition in the country improves.

    Ahmed also told the Customs Comptroller General and his team, that she would look into the salary structure of the Service as a way of incentivising the officers.

    Earlier, the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) highlighted some of the reforms he had undertaken to improve revenue generation.

    He said that because human development was vital, the NCS had invested in training schools to improve the capacity of its officers.

    In addition,  he said that the Service had deployed the use of technology in blocking avenues of revenue leakages.