Apapa Customs rakes in N870.39bn, seizes N31.2bn goods

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, generated N870.39 billion revenue from January to December 2021.

The Area Controller, Comptroller Malanta Ibrahim, said this at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos.

Ibrahim added that the command during the period intercepted contraband goods worth N31.23 billion.

Ibrahim noted that the revenue generated had been remitted to the federation and non-federation accounts of the Federal Government respectively.

He said that the revenue profile of the command had significantly increased by about 68 per cent when compared with N518.4 billion generated in 2020.

“The year 2022 is a year of hope and high expectations, particularly with increase in the service revenue target of N4.1 trillion.

“For us in Apapa area command, we have already boarded and fastened our seat belts toward the realisation of this revenue target and we will leverage on deployment of digital transformation.

“The transformation will further harmonise the activities of our stakeholders toward a seamless ease of doing business in the port,” he said.

Ibrahim noted that the command in line with the provision of extant circulars, trade guidelines and enforcement of government policy measures strengthened its anti-smuggling operations against economic saboteurs.

Ibrahim said the command made 103 seizures and worthy to mention was the seizure of 46.55 kilogramme of cocaine concealed on vessels MV Karteria and MV Chayanee Naree laden with raw sugar.

He listed some of the seized items as: foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, secondhand clothes, unregistered pharmaceuticals like captagon pills, tramadol, codeine syrup and others.

“These were seizures made in accordance with provision sections 46, 47 and 161 of CEMA (Customs and Excise Management Act) Cap C45 LFN 2004,” he said.

On export, he said the command recorded a boom in exportation of non-oil commodities with about 110 per cent increase in tonnage.

Also, Mrs. Olufumilayo Olotu, Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, said that as regards export, presently lilypond had been identified as the final export processing centre for goods coming to the port complex.

Olori said that the NCS and other government agencies would be informed of the take off date in due course.

TheStar