The Nigeria Customs Service, Area II Command, Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, says it generated a total revenue of N26.38 billion from August this year to date.
The Command also seized 69 containers with different contents, including military wares, machetes, rice and second-hand clothes.
Customs Area Controller, Area II Command, Comptroller Aliyu Saidu, disclosed this on Thursday, during his maiden briefing at Area II Customs, Onne, office.
Saidu said the amount was from duty paid on imported goods, adding that the command recorded 10 seizures of prohibited items with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N543.95 million.
He stated: “A comparative analysis report of the Command’s revenue profile shows that a total sum of N62,593,334,451.00, was generated between the months of January and October, last year; while N68,331,473,662.00, is generated between January and October, this year”.
The Area II Onne CAC expressed concern on the activities of smugglers, saying they are a serious threats to the nation’s economy and security.
“Let me reiterate that smuggling poses a huge threat to both the economy and security of the country. And this is 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.
“It is very 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 perpetrating this evil act only for personal gains”, Saidu noted.
Speaking further, the CAC said the breakdown of the seizures included 55 (20ft.) containers of foreign rice, six (20ft.) containers of tomatoes, a 40ft. container of military wares , a container of machetes and others containers.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) , according to the Controller, was N543,958,740.00, and some suspects arrested in connection with the seizures, had been transferred to the Customs Headquarters for further investigation.
He said that the feat recorded from August 16 this year, when he assumed office, till day, was in line with the mandate of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Ibrahim Hameed Ali (rtd), to conduct 100 percent examination on all good imported into the country because of security challenge.
“We are determined to deal with economic saboteurs and the people behind it. We were mandated by the Comptroller-General of Customs to carry out 100 percent examination on all containers imported into this country because of the insecurity in the country”, the CAC stated.
He acknowledged the cooperation and understanding with the military, which contributed in the achievements recorded within the period under review.
Controller Saidu warned that the seizures will serve as deterrent to unpatriotic Nigerians that indulge in economic sabotage and to prove that the Command is prepared to sanitize the port.
