Mkpoikana Udoma
08 November 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Customs Services, NCS, in Onne seaport, Rivers State, on Thursday said it has generated a total revenue of N26.3billion from duty paid on imported goods, between the month of August and November 2018.
Onne Customs Controller, Comptroller Aliyu Saidu, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Onne, said the command also recorded 10 seizures of prohibited items with duty paid value of N543miilion, between the period under review.
Saidu, who was deployed to the command on August 16, 2018, stated that the command under his watch will continue to draw on its robust intelligence gathering strategy on seaport operations to ensure a secure environment for a legitimate importation of goods.
According to him, “The command generated total revenue of N26,388,754,244.37 from duty paid on imported goods and recorded 10 seizures of prohibited items with duty paid value of N543,958,740 from August 16, when I took over to date.
“A comparative analysis report of the command’s revenue profile shows a total sum of N62,593,334,451 was generated between the months of January and October last year, while N68,331,473,662 is generated between January and October this year.”
While describing smugglers as economic saboteurs, the Onne Customs boss warned that Command will not rest on its oars in the fight against smuggling and under declaration of goods by importers in order to evade duty payment.
He said it was unfortunate and disturbing that despite the wide awareness on the dire consequences of smuggling activities on economic growth and development, some citizens still find joy in perpetuating the evil act only for personal gains.
“Let me reiterate that smuggling poise a high threat to both the economy and security of the country and this why those who engage in it are considered economic saboteurs since they engage in false declarations to evade the correct duty payment. They are the destroyers of the country’s economy.
“The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) has zero tolerance for smuggling and the Nigeria Customs Services will do everything in its capacity to sustain the tempo.
“Over time, the Customs Area II Command, Onne, had bemoaned the incessant activities of smugglers within our territories, an activity which has wreaked so much havoc on the nation’s economy. We will not relent in intensifying our efforts to curb this menace.”
