The Onne Port Area II Command of the Nigeria Customs Service says it has collected N250 billion revenue between January and June 2024.
Speaking to newsmen at his Command’s headquarters in Onne, Rivers State, the Contoller, Mohammed Babadende said the five-month revenue figure represented 50.4% of the Command’s initial target of N494 billion for 2024 before it was recently reviewed upward to N618 billion.
He also disclosed that the Command had made massive seizures of regulated drugs and expired electronic products, which have become e-waste, amounting to a cumulative duty paid value of N3.19 billion.
He said: “As at the end of May 2024, the Command had generated a total revenue of N249.75 bilion which translate to 50.4% of the initial target and 40.3% of the current annual target. When compared to the same period last year, the Command had an increase in revenue generation of N153.2 billion.
“It is worthy to note that despite the NLC strike, Democracy day and Sallah holiday, as at this morning the Command has generated N43.4 billion in the month of June 2024. We look forward to continuous rise in revenue generation in the coming months and we are optimistic that we would surpass the annual target by the end of the year.”
On anti-smuggling activities of the command, Babandede said his men seized six containers for violations or contraventions of various customs laws and breach of procedures.
The seized items include four units of 20ft containers laden with bales of clothing, lace and fabrics with duty paid value of N911.52 milion and 40ft containers laden with 2,625 cartons of cough syrup codeine, 80 cartons of Sildenatil Citrate tablets and 40 cartons of deluxe chilly cutter with duty paid value of N2.25 billion.
“The content of these importations contravenes the provision of the law which prohibits and restricts certain goods for the protection of the public health and safety. Put together, the total duty paid value stands at N3.188, billion,” the Controller said.
He continued: “These containers are currently in our Government Warehouse. The seized containers would be filed for condemnation at the federal High Court, Port Harcourt and shall subsequently be forfeited to the Federal Government.”
“The Command shall continue to address our core responsibilities by employing various risk management strategies aimed at collecting revenue, identifying vulnerable leakages, gathering intelligence and facilitating trade. We cannot but underscore the necessity and imperativeness of leveraging on synergy, collaboration and intelligence sharing with sister agencies and stakeholders as it enhances our revenue drive and anti-smuggling feats.
“These deliberate and concerted efforts will guide us in contributing our quota towards realizing remarkable results in line with Vision and Mission of the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi mfr and his Management Team.”
