Story by Dili Utomi.
The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service inspite of the difficult trade environment currently being experienced is steadily matching up with the core mandate as espoused by Service. The Command which is located along the largest trade corridor on the African continent is ratcheting up impressive figures in fulfillment of a part of its responsibilities which is the generation of revenue.
The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi had a press briefing today and he detailed the performance of his command over the last two months. He stated that “The Command was given a target of Seven Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy Five Million Naira (#7.875B) to collect in the current year. This represents an increase of over 400% in collections compared to the target of 2023. This also translates to a monthly collectible revenue of Six Hundred and Fifty Six Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand Naira (#656.258B). In January 2024, the Command collected Six Hundred and Forty Three Million, Thurth Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Eleven Naira, Sixteen kobo (₦643,038,611.16) only while in February, we collected Five Hundred and Seventeen Million, Ninr Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Six Naira, Fourteen Kobo (₦517,950,286.14) only making a total of One Billion , One Hundred and Sixty Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira, Thirty Kobo (₦1,160,988,897.30). This is about 88% of the Total expected revenue. The shortfall in expected collections can be attributed to the total aggregate decline in imports occasioned by the high exchange rate”.
The export aspect of of their responsibilities also made some eye catching impressions as CAC Bomodi noted that “The Command has processed 184 Export declarations for 43 items with a total weight of 65,185.96 Metric Tonnes and an Free On Board of Thirteen Billion, Fifty Seven Million Naira (#13.057B). The total amount collected for NESS was Sixty Five Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand Naira (#65.337 M) and Twenty Four Million, Four Hundred and Seven Thousand Naira (#24.407M) as Export Surcharge for previously imported goods”.
In the area of anti-smuggling activities, Comptroller Bomodi also added that the Seme Command also “Between January and February 2024, the Command successfully made 168 interventions which resulted in the seizure of 2,193 bags of 50kg (3 trailer load equivalent) foreign parboiled rice, 81,930 liters (3 tankers equivalent), 9 vehicles, 1425 General merchandise, 265 parcels of cannabis sativa and other narcotics, 149 pkg of codeine and 2 locally manufactured guns. All with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Three Hundred and Sixty-Five million, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety – Six Naira only ( ₦365,888,696.00 )”.
His words “A total of Thirteen (13) suspects were arrested in connection with these seizures, Six of them were granted administrative bail, three were handed over to NDLEA for further agency action, One was handed over to the Nigerian Police, while 3 suspects are still in our custody. At this point, it is important to highlight the importance of the Joint Security Meetings held regularly here at the Joint Border Post. These meetings provide valuable intelligence and opportunities to cross-fertilise ideas about Border management. We note that collaboration holds the key to success in border management that’s why we’ve insisted on information sharing among sister agencies”.
“In light of our present economic realities, where massive food shortages have been reported across the country, and in line with the directive to ensure grains are not exported illegally, the Command made a seizure of a truckload of beans, totaling four hundred (400) bags with a DPV of Sixty One Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (₦61,450,00.00 ), stockpiled in a warehouse at one of the exit corridors in the border. This item has since been deposited in the Government warehouse for safekeeping and eventual sale to the public”.
He continued “In the same vein, the continuous surveillance of the border by our officers and men has resulted in the interceptions of Four Hundred (400x30liters) of PMS equivalent of 12,000 liters with a DPV of Eight Million, Three Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Naira ( ₦8,347,680 ) in the early hours of Saturday, 2nd March 2024 along the creeks. The PMS seized will be auctioned in line with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of sales of seized perishable items as directed by the Service”.
“These seizures come on the heels of successes in anti-smuggling activities recorded in 2023, which saw 513 seizures of foreign parboiled rice, premium motor spirit, vehicles, General merchandise, drugs/narcotics, and vegetable oil. Others were Six Million Dollars ( $6,000,000.00 ) of fake currency, 15 fake international passports, 10 International Driver’s licenses, and 152 live birds and other endangered species. All with a Duty Paid Value of over One Billion, Two Hundred and Twelve Million Naira only (#1.212B)”.
The Seme Abidjan corridor has been described by certain experts who have variously expressed the need for the exploitation of the potentials inherent in doing business among the over Four Hundred and Twenty Eight Million people within the West African sub-region which is the largest trade block in Africa and also expressed optimism that the enormous derivable advantages would be fully realised as trade within the Lagos-Abidjan corridor accounts for about 75% of all trade within the sub-region. It is then imperative that the government continues to do all it can to support legitimate trade in order to maximally get the acruable benefits within this region.
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