…As Katsina Customs seizes 70 vehicles, food items worth N207.9m***

The Apapa Customs Command in Lagos on Monday said it generated N170.4 billion between January and May.

The Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Abba-Kura, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) in Lagos.

The command generated N143.1 billion between January and May, 2018.

He said that the monthly target of the command in 2019 was N31.046 billion.

“The command was able to achieve tremendous success with the support of the officers and men of the command.

“We continue to build on existing strategies put in place by my predecessor, Comptroller Bashir Abubakar, with the 100 per cent examination along with video and pictures.

“The command had also blocked all revenue leakages and engaging in constant stakeholders meetings and prompt resolutions of dispute by Dispute Resolution Committee.

“We have increased level of compliance among the stakeholders and also there is room for open door policy in the command,” Abba-Kura said.

He said that the command had improved on capacity building for both the officers and stakeholders aimed at increasing professionalism and reducing time of doing business at the port.

Abba-Kura urged stakeholders to improve on honest declaration to enable Nigerian Customs Service management achieve its aim of trade facilitation.

“At the moment we are recording 48-hour cargo clearance on honest documentation but our target is to clear cargo within 24-hour,” he said.

He commended the efforts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, and his management team for equiping officers and men of the command.

Abba-Kura, however, said that honest documentation guaranteed a seamless clearance process and timely release of cargo in line with the Ease of Doing Business mandate of the Federal Government.

Meanwhile, the Federal Operation Unit Zone B, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) impounds 70 vehicles and food items worth N207.9 million between May and June 2019 in Katsina State.

The NCS said the items included 2,540 bags of Rice, 729 Jerry cans of cooking oil and other assorted food items.

Alh. Mustapha Mohammed, Controller of the Kaduna Federal Operations Unit, disclosed this to Newsmen on Monday in Katsina while inspecting the seized items.

Mohammed further disclosed that officers of the service also seized 510 cartons of Spaghetti, 150 bags of 50kg Sugar and 10 bales of second hand clothing.

“Our Officers and men have made a total of 106 seizures within the month of May and June 2019.

“The officers have also confiscated “tokunbo’’ vehicles that were smuggled into the country without valid Papers.

“The smugglers have been concealing rice, spaghetti and other items in animal feed bags and locally made bags for storing maize, with the aim of beating our officers.

“Our officers have been uncovering all their tricks and we have been arresting them because they are saboteurs of Nigeria’s economy” he said.

The Controller emphasised that the Service was always one step ahead of smugglers and their nefarious activities.

Mohammed appealed to those saddled with the responsibility of parenting and upbringing to ensure counselling at an early age so youths would grow into responsible and hardworking adults instead of looking for ways of making quick money.