The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has generated over N104.7 million, since the reopening of the Jibia border in Katsina State on April 25, to date.
The Acting Controller of the NCS Command in Katsina, Mr Dalha Wada-Chedi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Katsina.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NIgerian land borders were closed in August 2019, to checkmate smuggling activities, boost local production of rice and fight insecurity.
According to him, with the reopening of the borders, the command is expected to discharge its statutory obligations.
He noted that the obligations included the control of imports and exports, by adhering to customs procedures in the collection of revenue and other regulations.
“Consequently, the total sum of N104,735,547 was collected and paid into the Federal account within the period under review.
“Secondly, the volume of export through the Jibia border within the period is 4,000 metric tons of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) worth N998,205,392 and also 1,000 metric tons of cement worth N32,292,830.
“The Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme Fees (NESS) for two exported items are as follows: LPG, N5.027,592; Cement N183,942,77 and the total NESS fees is N5,211,535.21,” he said.
According to him, going by the command’s previous anti-smuggling records, the period under review recorded a decline in the number of seizures, due to the reopening of the border.
“Other reasons include restrategised operation procedures on anti-smuggling activities by constant patrols, surveillance, intelligence gathering and dissemination accordingly.
“We also had cooperation, collaboration and synergy with security, government agencies at the border and other stakeholders at the border communities, among other procedures.
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“However, I wish to advise the business community to comply with all import and export guidelines for a seamless importation and exportation, through the reopened border.
“The business Community should try to utilise the opportunity provided by the Federal Government such as ETLS and conversion of old intended informal exports into formal export procedures,” the acting controller said.
Wada-Chedi further stated that the renewal of old customs licence agencies and a call for reopening new agencies was part of the restrategised operation procedures.
“The remaining people that are still in the old system of smuggling should come forward and embrace the change for their personal, community, state and country’s economic development.
“Our officers and men of the command are ready to hit the ground running in the quest to suppress smuggling and enhance revenue collection,” he said.
According to him, the command during the period under review, has seized contraband worth more than N38.7 million from May 1 to date.
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