Customs Tin-Can Island command generates N112.6bn in Q1

By Seun Ibiyemi

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Tin-Can Island Port command has generated N112,696,693,158 billion in the first quarter of 2021.

The Customs Area Controller, Mr Mba Musa, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Friday.

According to Musa, the revenue earnings for the for the first quarter, which stood at N112,695,693,158.66, shows an improvement of about N21.05billion (23 per cent) when compared with revenue earnings of N91billion in the first quarter of  2020.

“The comparative analysis of quarter one revenue collection from 2018 to 2021 are as follows: in 2018, N76,789,721,107.42; in 2019, N78,857,106,168.27; and in 2020, N91,635,998,490.73.

“This improvement, despite the twin threat to lives and livelihood posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the command have inspired their officers to continue to work hard while observing all the safety measures to achieve the best of performance.

“We kept our lines of communication open and concerted effort was made to ensure that the supply chain is not disrupted,” he said.

Musa said that during the period under review, anti-smuggling activities yielded result with a spectacular seizure 43.110kg of cocaine concealed in Raw Bulk Sugar.

“20 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure and detaining of the vessel MV SPAR SCORPIO,” he said.

He said that the command had handed over the case file, suspects and the vessel to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.

Musa said that the command had put measures in place to facilitate legitimate trade.

He said that Dispute Resolution Committee and the Help Desk have been re-jigged with a mandate to attend expeditiously to all trade-related disputes.

“We have also reinvigorated the use of inter-modal transport system (Use of Barges for Cargo movement) in line with Global Best Practices,” he said.