The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area II Command at Onne Port, on Friday said that it generated N107.3 billion as revenue in 2019.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Galadima Saidu, said this in a statement released to newsmen by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ifeoma Ojekwu.
The command said that it surpassed its revenue target for the period under review by 112 per cent.
“The NCS Area II Command, Onne Port in Rivers, generated total revenue of ₦107.3 billion from duty paid on imported goods in 2019.
“It surpassed the annual target of ₦95.7 billion for last year by ₦11.6 billion.
“In comparing the revenue generated between Year 2018 with Year 2019; it realised the sum of N94 billion in Year 2018.
“This shows 14 per cent increase in revenue generated in Year 2019 as against Year 2018.
“On export, a total of 255,407 metric tonnes of goods with a total Free On Board (FOB) value of 78,402,057 dollars which is equivalent to ₦28,420,745,662.5 at ₦362.50 to a dollar was processed through the area last year.
“Also, 24 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦1.2 billion were recorded in the area of anti-smuggling,” he said.
Saidu said that the seizures include 99 containers comprising vegetable oil, detergents, bags of foreign rice, scrap metals, corrugated aluminum sheets, furniture, tin tomatoes (tomato paste), insect repellant/killer, bales of fabrics and wax materials.
He said that the seizures were made due to wrong documentation, false declarations, wrong classifications, concealments and non provision of end-user certificates for the imported machetes.
He added that preliminary investigations carried out by the Service revealed that the primary motive for smuggling the items was to evade paying the correct duties.
Saidu condemned the continued menace of smuggling across the ports and borders,
He advised those involved in such unpatriotic behaviour to desist from it, and warned that the command would not spare them and would intensify efforts in locating them.
He also urged genuine business men to continue being law abiding.
He said that they should run their businesses with utmost compliance with the law as a way to build trust and integrity in their dealings.
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