From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin, Kebbi
Kebbi State Area Custom Controller of Nigeria Custom Service(NCS) has impounded smuggled items worth N126, 278, 959.60 in the state within two months.
Comptroller of Customs in the state, Iheanacho Ejike, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the command’s headquarters, Birnin Kebbi, also disclosed that his command generated revenue worth N7, 215, 500 within the months under review.
According to him, “As the Customs Area Controller saddled with the responsibility of steering the affairs of Kebbi Area Command, myself and my team have dedicated our operations to making sure that smuggling activities are reduced to the barest minimum in the state, and to enhance revenue generation for the federal government.
“Barely two months since I took over, the Command has intensified the fight against smuggling to curb its menace by engaging in intense patrols throughout the nooks and crannies of Kebbi State. We make use of Intelligence to enhance our operations, and we also engage in sensitising the host communities as to the dangers of smuggling.
“Smuggling is injurious to the economy as well as wellbeing of the citizens and also, smuggling portends grave danger to the security of the nation. Our operations so far have yielded positive outcome leading to several seizures of items within the period under review which includes; 212 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50Kg each and 28 bags of 25Kg each, 200 bales of used secondhand clothing and 50 bales of normal size,10,025 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 39 lumps of Indian hemp, 78 rolls of Diclofenac Sodium.
“We also seized 300 wraps of diazepam tablets 5mg each, 57 packs of sex enhancement drugs, 150 expired powdered milk, 50 pieces of used tyres and 20 pieces of rims, 20 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 20 bags of foreign sugar and 10 jerrycans of vegetable oil. The combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items is N126, 278, 959.60. The PMS value is not included in the DPV because is given at our revenue generation section as receipts from auction sales”.
He added that the revenue generation in Kebbi Command was stalled in recent times due to the border closure between Nigeria, Benin republic and Niger Republic.
He said: “The federal government has authorised the re-opening of Kamba border as the only import/export outlet for the state now. Even with this challenge, the Command managed to generate the sum of N7, 215, 500 in the two months under review, which is 125% increase as compared to the two previous months.”
The N10,025 litres of seized PMS which is valued at two million, and five thousand naira (N2, 005, 000) is expected to also increase the revenue when auctioned to the public,” he said.
Ejike who attributed his command’s achievements to resilience and courageous efforts their Operations teams, Intelligence Unit, Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) and collaboration with sister agencies, said, the Indian hemp would be hand over to the NAFDAC state Coordinator.