The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday, said it collected whooping One trillion, twenty-three billion, six hundred and sixty-three million, eight hundred and forty-two thousand, two hundred- and fifty five-naira, sixty-three kobo as revenue between January and June, 2024

The figure, according to the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu,while briefing newsmen in Lagos disclosed that there is an increase of 143% above the figures of Four hundred and twenty-one billion, three hundred and eighty-two million, one hundred and sixty-six thousand, three hundred- and seventy-eight-naira, forty-six kobo collected in the corresponding period in 2023.

The Area Controller said that the command also intercepted expired poultry products, footwear , clothing and unregistered pharmaceutical product within the period under review.

He noted that “For the first half of 2024, that is between January-June, the command generated a total of One trillion, twenty-three billion, six hundred and sixty-three million, eight hundred and forty-two thousand, two hundred- and fifty five-naira, sixty-three kobo

“This shows an increase of 143% above the figures of Four hundred and twenty-one billion, three hundred and eighty-two million, one hundred and sixty-six thousand, three hundred- and seventy-eight-naira, forty-six kobo collected in the corresponding period in 2023.

“Whereas this collection is coming despite a sharp reduction in the volume of trade, it is necessary to note that extra measures have been put in place to prevent losses of government revenue.

“Upon taking over as Area Controller of Apapa, I set up a revenue recovery committee comprising of seasoned and dedicated officers with a mandate to carry out more detailed look into areas of leakages, especially in bonded terminals under Apapa Command.”

Speaking on the anti smuggling efforts of the command, Comptroller Olomu said within the six months, the command made seizure of eleven containers comprising of prohibited items such as expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals, footwears, used clothing, armored cables, frozen poultry/ products etc., with a Duty Paid Value of Four hundred and twenty-four million, one hundred and five thousand, nine hundred and seventy-five naira (N424,105,975.00) as against 42 seizures with a DPV of NI.4 billion made in the corresponding period in 2023.

“Members of the press, it is pertinent to mention that just last week, we uncovered a large quantity of expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals in 3x40ft container numbers TCKU 6928184, MRKU 4422733, MRSU 5550243, and another 3x40ft container nos. MNBU 3934925, MEDU 9107559 and MEDU 9752980 loaded with seven thousand five hundred and eighty (7,580) cartons of frozen poultry products unfit for human consumption, which is against schedule 3 of the revised import prohibition list of the Common External Tariff (CET), these importations violate section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

“Let me state that the harmful effects of fake and unregistered pharmaceutical products on citizens are unquantifiable and as a responsible service, we owe Nigerians the duty of preventing them from being exposed to this dangerous importation.

“In light of the above, I want to use this opportunity to sound a note of warning to perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and other extant laws, that Apapa command is poised to nip illicit importation in the bud.

Consequently, in line with the CGC zero tolerance for smuggling,have reformed the command way of treating transires by ensuring more meticulous management of cargoes moving from the mother port to bonded terminals.

The Comptroller who resumed at the command May 6, 2024, stated that “We are applying a blend of intelligence with community relations for better awareness of our operating environment to achieve greater trade facilitation and fight criminality.

“I have a team of dedicated officers charged with the responsibility of addressing all complaints or disputes within record time before escalation to my office for prompt action.