By Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne, Rivers State said it has generated a total revenue of Two Hundred and Forty-nine billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty-two million,Two Hundred and Sixty eight thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-eight Naira, 28 kobo (N249,752,268,298.28) between April and June, 2024.
This, the Command said, represents 50.4 percent of its 2024 revenue target of N494bn, which was later reviewed to N618bn.
This was disclosed by the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Onne, Mohammed Babandede recently while briefing the Press.
According to him, the revenue followed the seizure of 7 containers carrying bales of clothing,fabric, cough syrup codeine, sildenafil citrate tablets,as well as electronics.
The CAC said total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures amounted to N3,188,454,452.
Babandede pointed out that the feat was made possible through his Command’s collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), a sister Agency, in line with the vision of the Comptroller General of Customs(CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
The Comptroller vowed to sustain the synergy with sister agencies and other stakeholders for more breakthroughs.
He added that the culprits will soon be charged to court and seized consignments forfeited to the Federal Government accordingly.
“We would not only fish them out, but shall get them arrested with their goods forfeited to the Federal Government,” the CAC said.
The CAC lauded the role of the media in effective dissemination of information on its activities and the maritime industry at large and urged them to sustain the tempo.
The CAC used the opportunity to clear the air that customs determines the destination of imported goods, pointing out that the destination of the cargoes is the sole right of the importers, in line with the Bill of Laden of such shipment.
.”The final destination for clearing of any consignment into the Country is at the owner’s or importer’s discretion. This cannot be altered by any customs officer including the Area Controller.
“Firstly the importer has to stipulate the Bonded Terminal or port that will be the final destination right at the country of exportation which is always indicated on the Bill of Laden and is transmitted via the shipping companies to the sea port where the vessel will berth.
“This negates the erroneous belief that Onne officers connive with operators of Bonded Terminals to transfer containers to Bonded Terminals,” the CAC explained.
Babandede warned that there is no hiding place for economic saboteurs, stressing that Nigeria Customs Service will continue to play its role of trade facilitation, as saddled with by the Federal Government.