NCS, Kebbi Area Command gives scorecard for october
Written By Dedeigbo Ayodeji
Posted By Town Crier News Nigeria
Published By Fitness Network Communications
The Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has reviewed its activities in October, 2022, patting itself on the back for s job well done.
According to the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller JO Attah, in a press briefing, at the command’s headquarters in the state capital, recorded the highest revenue ever during the period.
“The Command recorded successes in the core mandates of the Service of suppression of smuggling, revenue generation and trade facilitation,” Attah said.
On revenue generation, the Comptroller disclosed: “Revenue generation drive of the Command has continued to witness a gradual increase. In the period under review, we generated a sum of one hundred and sixty two million, one hundred and seventy three thousand, and five hundred and seven naira (N162, 173,507) as revenue from import duty. This is the highest since the reopening of Kamba Border.
“The Command equally facilitated the formal export of locally manufactured goods worth over two billion naira in the period under review.
This was achieved through strict enforcement of extant rules. We shall continue to ensure that those who choose to import or export goods through Kamba do so with the highest level of compliance to lay down regulations.”
Attah commended the trading community for an improved level of compliance, adding, however, that they look forward to voluntary total compliance.
He also revealed the command’s activities towards suppressing smuggling.
“In our undaunted effort to nip smuggling activities in the bud within the nook and crannies of the Command, we directed our operatives to intensify vigilance across vast bushes and all the waterways within Kebbi State. To this end, the effort yielded sixteen (16) seizures of assorted items which include, but not limited to, the following:
284 parcels (laptop size) of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp)
4 used vehicles (which are: 2 used Honda civic cars, 1 used man diesel truck and 1 tipper truck)
139 bales of second hand clothes
345 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each)
2,250 litres of PMS
38 cartons of whitening (bleaching) cream, 80 pieces of solar batteries, among others.
“The Duty Paid value of the seized items stands at seventy eight million, five hundred and sixty two thousand, and one hundred and twenty five naira (N78, 562,125).
“Gentlemen of the press, you will agree with me that while other seized items are financially quantifiable, we cannot quantify the level of damage dangerous drugs and other substances cause in the society. Such substances when unleashed in society serve as catalysts for all the major crimes we see in our society. The seized cannabis will be handed over to NDLEA Kebbi State for further necessary action.
We shall continue to pursue our given mandate of suppression of smuggling undeterred in spite of the challenges we sometimes encounter from citizens who due to ignorance or greed for some financial benefits support the criminals against our operatives.
“Let me remind such people that obstruction of duty or signaling to smugglers are crimes under sections 11 and 77 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA). We will not hesitate to invoke the full wrath of these sections of CEMA against any person or group whose intention or action is to prevent or limit our statutory operations.”
