Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — Despite a significant decline in cargo throughput at seaports, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a historic N17.9billion revenue collected in a single day at Apapa port.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, made this revelation at a press conference in Apapa on Wednesday.
Comptroller Olomu said that the feat is a result of Customs officers’ intensified efforts to curb revenue loopholes amid dwindling cargo throughput estimated to have dropped by more than 50 percent.
He equally revealed that the Command recently intercepted 2 containers of used clothing and Crusader soap.
“The Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a landmark daily collection of N17,903,312,598 on June 14, 2024, being the highest since its inception.”
“This feat is the beginning of many revenue collection, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling exploits to be achieved in the course of discharging our statutory responsibilities,” the Apapa Customs boss said.
Olomu, however, assured port users and stakeholders that officers and men of the Command under his leadership will continue to prioritize trade facilitation and strive to surpass its targets.
He explained that the unprecedented revenue collection is a way of celebrating one year in office of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR whose inspiring and motivating leadership contributed greatly in the achievement.
“Finally, I want to use this medium to urge port users to always abide by the tenets and etiquette of lawful operations such as obeying the extant import and export guidelines, prompt and accurate payment of duty and promotion of regular engagement in the national interest,” he remarked.
