Customs Apapa Area Command Generates over N1tn in First Half 2024

Oluchi Chibuzor

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) generated a total of N1,023,663,842,255.63, in the first half of 2024.

This was an increase of 143 percent above the figures of N421,382,166,378.46 collected in the corresponding period in 2023.

Also within the first half the command made seizures of 11 containers comprising prohibited items such as expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals, footwears, used clothing, armored cables, frozen poultry products.

Disclosing this yesterday in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Port Command, Controller Babatunde Olomu, emphasised that the figure raked in was due to robust intelligence gathering for enhanced revenue collection backed with deliberately improved customs-community relations.

He said efforts at promoting trade facilitation were yielding positive results with attendant ease of doing business, prevention of revenue losses and closer interactions with sister government agencies and private sector stakeholders, including members of the host communities in which we operate.

He warned that they were also not leaving anything to chance to fight economic saboteurs as their non- Intrusive inspection (NII) regime was fully in place where scanners are deployed for cargo examination with support of physical examination where and when necessary.

According to him, “Within the period under review, the command made seizures 11 containers comprising of prohibited items such as expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals, footwears, used clothing, armored cables, frozen poultry products etc., with a duty paid value of N424,105,975 as against 42 seizures with a DPV of N1.4 billion made in the corresponding period in 2023.

“It is pertinent to mention that just last week, we uncovered a large quantity of expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals in 3x40ft container number TCKU 6928184, MRKU 4422733, MRSU 5550243, and another 3x40ft container number. “MNBU 3934925, MEDU 9107559 and MEDU 9752980 loaded with 7,580 cartons of frozen poultry products unfit for human consumption, which is against schedule 3 of the revised import prohibition list of the Common External Tariff (CET).”

He stressed that these importations violated section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

However, Olomu, disclosed that this collection was coming despite a sharp reduction in the volume of trade, adding it was necessary to note that extra measures have been put in place to prevent losses of government revenue.

Upon taking over as Area Controller of Apapa, he revealed that he set up a revenue recovery committee made up of seasoned and dedicated officers with a mandate to carry out more detailed look into areas of leakages, especially in bonded terminals under Apapa Command.

Olomu noted they are applying a blend of intelligence with community relations for better awareness of the operating environment to achieve greater trade facilitation and fight criminality.

“I have a team of dedicated officers charged with the responsibility of addressing all complaints or disputes within record time before escalation to my office for prompt action.

“My office is open for everyone to discuss anything that will facilitate legitimate trade and promote government interest at all times, including receiving information on suspected smuggling activities,” he said.