Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command has generated N21.018bn as revenue from January to December, 2020 which exceeds the N20bn target for the year despised challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
This was disclosed by Comptroller Sulaiman Umar, the Customs Comptroller Kano/Jigawa Area Command who spoke while briefing newsmen, Thursday, at Customs House, Bompai, Kano State.
According to Umar, this also surpasses the over N13bn that was collected during the same period in 2019, a development that shows an increase of 84% in the revenue collection over last year.
The Comptroller who also revealed that his men have successfully impounded over N23.7m Naira worth of contraband goods in the last two weeks of his assumption of office as the new Comptroller Kano/Jigawa area command explained explained that the service have made different seizures at different locations within the commands area of coverage which amounts to about 353 in 2020 alone, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N900bn.
“As you all know, the core mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service is to collect revenue for the Federal Government and account for same, facilitate legitimate trade, suppress smuggling which is a serious threat to national security and economy, and provide security at the national boarders”
“Some of the impounded contraband items within the two weeks under review include about 390 bags of forign rice with a DPV of N8,468,070, 20 jerry cans of Vegetable Oil with a DPV of N340,000, 182 Bales of Second hand clothes with a DPV of N7,045,766 and 100 Cartoons of Mosquito Coil with a DPV of N6,435,000.
Others are 98 Packs of Spaghetti with a DPV of N379,260, 35 Cartoons of Green Tea with a DPV of N677,477, 190 Cartoons and 6 pcs Tin Tomato with a N164,500 DPV and 79 Cartoons of Condense Milk with a N213,300 DPV.
Comptroller Umar revealed that most of the items were conveyed in commercial buses and cars meant for transportation of people and goods.
He assured the commitment of his officers and men of the Kano/Jigawa area command in carrying out their mandate to the latter.
Speaking on lack of cooperation by border communities, the Comptroller admitted that this has been an issue in the country, assuring that the service will not relent in sensitizing communities involved on how bad smuggling is to the economy and even their children,
“Because it destroys local industries and eventually creates unemployment. So we keep on sensitizing them and I will also use this opportunity to ask for your own collaboration too in sensitization in your various media houses.”
On the decision of the Federal Government to reopen four borders, Comptroller Umar said, “What the government has prohibited, the law will still be enforced that you cannot bring in rice, second hand clothes and all other commodities that have been restricted.
Therefore, the border is open for legitimate trade and for legitimate goods.” he clarified.
While expressing hope that the customs media relationship will continue to blossom, Comptroller Umar who assumed duty on December 1st, commended the press for their support and cooperation over the years.