By Adedapo Adesanya
The Seme Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has exceeded its 2023 revenue target of N1.966 billion by 55 per cent after generating N3.05 billion in the first 10 months of the year.
According to a statement by the Comptroller of the command, Mr Timi Bomodi, this success was attributed to strategies adopted by the leadership of the Command to checkmate revenue loopholes, in partnership with our stakeholders to ensure compliance.
Mr Bomodi also said that the command has also kept faith with its promise to encourage only compliant cross-border traders and host communities along the corridor, bearing in mind the challenges of the Joint Border Patrol as one that is still adjusting to the reality of the border closure.
He said: “Upon my assumption of duty on the 18th of September 2023, I pledged to adopt sustainable ways and means of dealing with smuggling, while the focus will be on using administrative and strategic levels to block revenue leakages.
“The command under my watch has made notable impacts in our key performance indicators which are revenue collection, anti-smuggling operations, and facilitation of legitimate trade.
“The command continues to sustain the tempo in harnessing all revenue components to achieve desired goals. The target for the command for the year 2023 is N1.966 billion but as of the end of October 2023, the Command has collected N3.050 billion.
“The revenue figure collected exceeded the allotted target of N1.966 billion by N1.084 billion which represents a 55.1 per cent increase.
“Under export, the command facilitated a total of 41,867.88 metric tonnes involving 1,048 trucks of export products, with Free on Board (FOB) of N8.299billion while the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) paid was Forty – N41.504 million as against the N10.531 million paid as surcharge paid for the period under review.
“In the area of anti-smuggling operations, you are already conversant with our past seizures of 168 live Parrot birds and a Hawk which are prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which Nigeria is a signatory. This is in addition to other notable seizures recorded between September and October 2023.”
He disclosed that six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures, noting that his men seized Cannabis Sativa, with the suspects to be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.
Aduragbemi Omiyale 
Business Post Contributor