Two Months after Reopening Jibia/Niger Border, Customs Generates N104.7m

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina Area Command of the Nigeria

Customs Service (NCS) has said it has generated

over N104.7 million from export and import duties

for the federal government barely three months

after reopening the Nigeria/Niger Republic border

at Jibia, Katsina State.

Briefing journalists in Katsina on its ongoing war

against smuggling, the Command’s Comptroller,

Dalha Wada Chedi, said the whooping sum

generated by the command has been paid into

the federal government’s account.

The NCS, had in April 2022, reopened the

Nigeria/Niger Republic border at Jibia, Jibia Local

Government Area of the state for legitimate

businesses to thrive between the two countries.

Chedi said: “With the reopening of the Jibia border,

the command is expected to discharge all its

statutory obligations which include control of

import and export through the reopened border

by adhering to Customs procedures in collection

of revenue and other regulations.

“Consequently, the total sum of N104, 735, 574.00

was collected and paid into the federal

government account within the period under

review.”

He said the worth of export through the Jibia

border within the period under review for 4,000

metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

and 1,000 metric tonnes of cement is

N998,205,392.04 and N32,292,830.00.

He added that the command also seized N38.5

million worth of contraband between May 1, 2022

to date, adding that it has recorded a decline in

the number of seizures due to the reopening of

the border.

Other factors that led to the decline in the seizures,

according to him, were restrategised operation

procedures on anti-smuggling activities by

frequent patrols, surveillance and intelligence

gathering and synergy among security agencies,

government and stakeholders at border

communities.

He, however, called on the business community in

the state to comply with all the import and export

guidelines for a seamless importation and

exportation through the reopened border.