Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Niger/Kwara/Kogi Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has generated about N2.1 billion from the beginning of this year till date.
This information was made available to journalists on Monday by the Customs Area Controller in charge of the region, Mr Benjamin Binga.
While addressing the press on activities of smugglers in the area, the customs boss said his command was making efforts to make smuggling unattractive to those involved.
Mr Binga said his men, since the beginning of the year, has made tremendous efforts to safeguard the nation’s borders.
According to him, various contrabands worth millions of Naira have been seized his the command in the last quarter.
However, he noted that the N2.1 billion generated as revenue for the Federal Government this year was N700 million below the target of N2.8 billion set for 2017 by the command.
He said his command has confiscated 16 vehicles with camouflage plate numbers just to beat being arrested, while over 2000 bags of rice and 1,500 25-litre vegetable oil, clothing and concealed items were impounded from smugglers in the last three months.
according to, N43 million worth of rice and vegetable oil, with duty value of N16.8 million, were seized by his men during the period as the owners tried to beat the customs by trying to haulage it through the rail system.
He disclosed that his men, acting on “privileged information,” ambushed and arrested the owners and their smuggled rice.
According to him, “These seizures were made in Bosso, Babana, Okuta, Bokoro and Chikanda borders of the command.”
Mr Binga promised that his men will continue to give smugglers in the region tough time, describing the trade as a “multi-faceted monster,” which is very harmful to the economy.
