The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it generated N10.5billion into the federation account from January to December, 2016.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Salenchang Taupyen and made available to newsmen at the weekend said the amount was realised from general cargoes and vehicles with duty and taxes accrued from escorted transit vehicles accounting for 56 percent of the total revenue generated.
The statement noted that the command has consecutively surpassed its monthly target for the month of November and December with a revenue collection of N1.2 billion and N1.5 billion respectively.
He said the 848 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N608 million recorded within the review period showed a decrease in smuggling activities when compared to the corresponding period of 2015.
“There was a corresponding decline in smuggling activities occasioned by the aggressive anti-smuggling operation of the Command in order to ensure total compliance with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs and the Service extant laws.
“The enforcement unit of the Command has succeeded in suppressing smuggling activities to the barest minimum. The anti-smuggling operation of the Command in recent times is evident by the number of seizures made and the revenue generated by the Command in December, 2016.
“The Command replicated the unprecedented feat recorded in the month of November, 2016 despite obvious challenges that would have ordinary crippled the revenue drive of the Command in the month of December. The repeated success was attributed to the doggedness and unflinching commitment of officers and men of the command who were prepared to succeed at all cost despite the many challenges that militated against revenue collection in the Command,” he said.
Commenting on the success recorded in December, Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Victor Dimka stated that apart from the commitment of his officers and men, the feat recorded is also attributed to the recent policy pronouncement of the federal government banning the importation of new and fairly used vehicles through the land borders.
He said the policy statement brought about an upsurge in the number of vehicles escorted into Seme border which translated to the increase in the command’s revenue figure.
Dimka further disclosed that the quest of the command to remain passionate and resolute in enforcing the fiscal policies of the Federal Government cannot be over
Commenting on federal government ban of new and fairly used vehicles, Dimka said that the quest of the command to remain passionate and resolute in enforcing the fiscal policies of the federal government cannot be over emphasized stating that the command is battle ready to implement the policy to the latter.
“Because the wisdom of the federal government is above every common sense, the Command have strategized and is still re-strategizing towards the implementation process bearing in mind that the dare devil smugglers can be brutal and deadly. However, the command is battle ready and equal to the task.
“The way smuggling of rice was drastically suppressed by the command, it is also fully committed to implementing same for vehicles that will be smuggled through the land border after 1stJanuary, 2017,” he said.
He added that the vehicle seat at the command has been disbanded and its officers redeployed to beef up border patrols for effective implementation of the policy.
He urged the general public, stakeholders to be adequately sensitized and stay away from buying vehicles through the land borders to avoid losses.
He said legitimate trade in new and fairly used vehicles into Nigeria would only be facilitated at the seaports.
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