CAC Yusuf (right) and Mr . Aigbirere (left).
Story by Dili Utomi.
The combination of factors- blockage of loopholes, enlightenment, stakeholders engagement and intelligent application of extant laws as detailed by the Customs Area Controller of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service have contributed to making the Command to surpass the revenue generated over the corresponding period of 2022.
The CAC, Comptroller Yusuf MS while he briefed the press this afternoon detailed some of the landmark achievenents of the Command over the past ten months.
CAC Yusuf fielding questions from journalists at the event.
He noted that “During the period under review January – October 2023, the Command collected revenue to the tune of Seventy four billion, two hundred and eighty six million, seven hundred and seven thousand, four hundred and forty three naira, one kobo.(# 74, 286, 707, 443.01k) from Customs duty and other charges. In comparison to the revenue collected same period in 2022 which stood at Sixty billion, fifty six million, one hundred and twenty five thousand, eight hundred and twenty three naira twenty nine kobo (#60, 056, 125, 823.29k) This clearly shows a progressive difference of Fourteen billion, two hundred and thirty million, five hundred and eighty one thousand, six hundred and nineteen naira, seventy two kobo (N14, 230, 581, 619.72k) depicting a twenty three percent (23%) increase of collection. The Command so far has met 76.34% of its annual target. The was made possible as a result of resilience of officers in ensuring that agents were made to do proper declarations and to adhere strictly to import/export guidelines in tandem with extant laws”.
CAC Yusuf fielding more questions from the press with the Command’s newly renovated office building at the background.
He also added that in the area of anti-smuggling activities that “The Command has intercepted unregistered pharmaceutical products suspected to be Tramadol tablets. The shipment was intercepted on the suspicion of exceeding the approved threshold by the Federal Government. The cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the aforementioned items stood at Three Billion, five hundred and fifty six million, eight hundred and two thousand, nine hundred and forty two naira, eighteen kobo (#3,556, 802,942.18k)”.
CAC Yusuf took time out and braved the heavy rain to show the seized Tramadol medicaments to journalists and answered some questions. He explained that the consignment of Tramadol which were imported from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan clearly go above the threshold (225mg) of Tramadol tablets allowed into the country. Nigeria as a country allows Tramadol that fall bellow the 100mg threshold to be imported into the country. The CAC revealed that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the illegal importation.
The seized illegal Tramadol medicaments were also handed over to the MMAC deputy commander of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Mr. Barth Aigbirere who praised the cordial relationship that exists between the Customs and the NDLEA as evidenced in the hand over. He said that a whole lot of intelligence gathering and reliable knowledge sharing amongst agencies often happen hence the seizure that results in this hand over.
CAC Yusuf also took journalists round the Command’s compound to show them the recent innovations carried out on all the physical structures at the Command. He praised the CG of Customs for giving them “this befiting structure” and also thanked stakeholders and the press for aiding the successes that he has achieved over time.
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