Daji Sani in Yola
The Comptroller of the Adamawa/Taraba State Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Command Mr. Kamaludeen Olumoh, has disclosed that the Command has seized 330kg of Pangolin scales, 33,000 litres of petroleum products and assorted foreign rice with a duty paid value of N98.3 million
While parading the items seized yesterday by the men of the Service in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, Olumoh told journalists that the command has surpassed its target in 2019.
According to him, “The Command in its enforcement area has generated a total revenue of N161.9 realising an increase of N13.2 million or 8.9 percent over the given target of N148.6 million.
“This achievement was made possible through the various measures put in place to stimulate revenue generation.”
Olumoh noted that in reaching the result, various measures, including sensitisation of stakeholders on import and export procedures, effective border community relations leading to suppression of smuggling, bringing into tax net various items and commodities on whose steady payment of duty was avoided in the past and the new resolve of officers and men to be committed to duty.
He noted that during the year under review, the Command made a total of 74 seizures and arrested 20 suspects.
The comptroller, however, noted that the achievements were recorded despite some daunting challenges, including difficulty in surveying the vast international border; Boko Haram insurgency/communal clashes and non-adherence to import and export guidelines by traders despite sensitisation by relevant agencies.
He noted that the enumerated challenges have to a great extent hindered the revenue generation drive of the NCS Command.
Olumoh, however, reiterated the zeal and commitment to achieve more in 2020 by stepping up anti-smuggling efforts, and further sustaining the stakeholder sensitisation on import and export guidelines that would further enhance revenue generation and collection.
