CGC Strike Force Records 32% increase in 2022

Thursday, December 8, 2022 3:12 pm

Deputy Comptroller Sanmi A Mohammed Yusuf and his team during the briefing at Ikeja

Esther Komolafe

The Comptroller-General Strike Force, Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday announced that he had surpassed his collection with a 32% increase when compared to the corresponding year of 2021 with the seizures of Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.09bn between October and November this year 2022.

The head of the unit, Deputy Comptroller A. Mohammed Sani Yusuf, made this known on Wednesday 7th December at Ikeja in Lagos.

The Head of the team informed the media during his briefing that the sum of N537.9m was collected from importers who underpaid duties through the issuance of a Demand Notice (DN) for the same period.

The Coordinator said that his team has so far generated the sum of N5.2bn as revenue since their resumption till date compared with last year’s revenue which was N3.5bn with a difference of N1.6bn representing a 32 percent increment through DN, underpayment and wrong classification.

He also said that the Team has made a good number of seizures with a total DPV of N8.5bn.

Among the seizures displayed by the Team which were recorded between October and November this year were 1010 bags of 50kg parboiled rice, 376.4kg of pangolin scales, 100 cartons of red wine, 40kg of Indian Hemp, 58 bales of used clothing, 35 units of 25 litres of jerry cans containing petrol.

He noted that the members of his Team have remained resolute and undeterred in enforcing government policies and Customs extant laws.

He added that the achievements recorded so far were made possible because of the support provided by the management of the Customs Service under the leadership of Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali CFR (RTD).

Yusuf said his Team has continued to review strategies to defeat smugglers in their game of concealment, false declaration, and underpayment during the yuletide period.

Two suspects, he disclosed, were arrested in connection with some of the seizures, but added that they have been released on administrative bail.

On pangolins worth over N800m and seized at the Epe market, the Coordinator said Nigerians should be reminded that there is an existing ban imposed on the international trade of pangolins and their parts since the 2016 convention held in Flora South Africa.

“Under the convention on international trade in Endangered Species (CITES), some species of animal are conserved from going to extinction, hence pangolin among other animals have been subject to exploitation which has continued till date but little is known about their natural history, a status that must be conserved. Campaigns and sensitization on the poaching of pangolins must be intensified since it plays a dominant role in the ecosystem thereby protecting the forest from termites and other insect destruction”.