The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it recorded success in revenue collection and seizure of illicit goods in the period from January 2023 to date, amassing a total of N502,987,516,219.26.
The command stated that during the time, it made 16 significant seizures, valued at N1.4 billion, including the confiscation of two pistols hidden in a groupage cargo and apprehension of one suspect.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Auwal Baba Mohammed, in a press statement made available to our correspondent, attributed the results to increased compliance among importers, exporters, and agents. He urged officers to maintain their efforts in revenue collection, trade facilitation, and rigorous enforcement of anti-smuggling measures.
He informed that on July 20, 2023, the command achieved a remarkable feat by collecting N9.2 billion in a single day, marking the highest daily collection in its history since the command’s establishment.
He said aside from the firearm seizures, the confiscated items during this period included prohibited drugs, used tires, rice, vegetable oil, and various other goods.
To achieve higher compliance levels, he said the command has been actively employing system profiling and manifest tracking, allowing them to gauge the integrity of importers and consignees based on their previous transaction records.
Mohammed further emphasized the importance of compliance for traders, stating that non-compliant individuals face the risk of having their shipments seized, penalties imposed, and even potential arrests for prosecution.
To further enhance trade facilitation, he explained that the Apapa Command has also leveraged available technology for electronic manifest tracking, making significant strides towards ease of doing business.
He urged all officers of the command to maintain the high level of discipline for which the command is known. He stressed that discipline is the foundation of good work etiquette, including punctuality and diligent adherence to the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and other essential principles aligned with the law.
Comptroller Mohammed expressed that Nigeria holds high expectations of the NCS, particularly the Apapa Command, for its exceptional revenue collection performance. He encouraged officers to use their expertise and knowledge of the job to facilitate legitimate trade, emphasizing the need to avoid releasing uncustomed goods mistakenly or under the guise of trade facilitation.
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