NCS Ogun Command Garners N4.9 Billion in 334 days

Comptroller Bamidele Makinde

Esther Komolafe
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun command has collected the total sum of N4.9 billion as revenue paid into the federal government purse for the period of 11 months. That is between January and November 2022.
The Controller of the command,  Bamidele Makinde made this known on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Command Conference room in Ogun state.
The CAC in his briefing said that the contraband seized by the command within the months under review are 41 sacks and 940 wraps of Cannabis Sativa also known as Indian Hemp; 2,250 packets of Tramadol, 73 trucks loads of smuggled foreign parboiled rice; 31 units of Compressors; 16,224 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); 19 units of Motorcycles, among others worth N4.9 billion.
Comptroller Makinde also revealed that the command recorded 842 seizures. Giving details of the seizure, he said, “The seizures, include 44,933 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, which was an equivalence of 73 trucks load.
Others are as follows, vehicles used as means of Conveyance are 99 Units while Foreign Used Vehicles (Tokunbo) are 8 units including one the year 2020 Grey colour Wrangler Jeep with chassis no ICAHIXDN6LW 161338.”
Others are, “Six units of used Trucks as means of conveyance; 31 units of Compressors; 16,224 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); 19 units of Motorcycle (Means of Conveyance); 517 bales and 219 sacks of secondhand clothing; 3,629 pieces of used tyres; 4700 bags of cement; 3 bales and 384 pieces of used bags; 41 sacks and 940 wraps of Cannabis Sativa (Book and Coconut sizes); 170 cartons of poultry products; 191 units of vehicle compressors; 2,250 packets of Tramadol; 222 units of refrigerator compressors; 220 pieces and 867 cartons of foreign wine; 120 cartons of foreign shoes; 89 bales and 485 pieces of foreign textile and 302 sacks of foreign corn.
“We were able to record the above-mentioned seizures though intensive round-the-clock surveillance and patrol activities that aided the effective deployment of intelligence.”
In the area of revenue, he explained that the Command generated N58.7 million in the period under review.
“The activities from which the Command generates revenue include importation and exportation of goods under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and assessment of merchandise in baggage. It also generates revenue from auction sales of perishable or highly combustible goods such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“The Command also generated the sum of N58.7 million through import duties and auction sales of Petroleum products (PMS) during the period under review.
Ogun 1 Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) conducts its anti-smuggling activities through the deployment of personnel to man all the approved border stations, surveillance and patrol duties.”
“The Command makes adequate use of intelligence to aid its operations. These are done by various sections of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA). For instance, Section 147 of CEMA Cap C45 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, empowers Customs operatives to search premises.
“These premises are those suspected to have been used to conceal or store smuggled, prohibited, restricted or dutiable goods. Section 148 empowers officers to search licensed premises, Section 150 gives the power to search persons and Section 158 gives power to officers of the service to patrol freely.
“Section 167 also gives the power to detain and make a seizure, Section 149 gives the power to search vehicles and aircraft and Section 8 gives Customs Officers the same power as the Police with regards to enforcement duties,” Controller Makinde stated
In Makinde’s words: “In the wake of our anti-smuggling operations conducted in the period under review in different parts of Ogun State, including the creeks, border lines, approved and unapproved routes, the Command recorded a total number of 842 seizures.
“The Total DPV of the above items is N4.9 billion. We were able to record the above-mentioned seizures though intensive round-the-clock surveillance and patrol activities, aided by effective deployment of intelligence.”
In the area of revenue, The Area Controller explained that the Command generated N58,676,751.00 in the period under review.
“The activities from which the Command generates revenue include importation and exportation of goods under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and assessment of merchandise in baggage. It also generates revenue from auction sales of perishable or highly combustible goods such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“The Command generated the sum of N58, 676,751.00 through import duties and auction sales of Petroleum products (PMS) during the period under review.