Apapa Customs collects N502bn revenue, impounds N1.4bn contraband goods

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it collected a total of N502.9billion as revenue from January 2023 to date.

The Command also recorded 16 seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N1.4 billion within the same period.

Controller of the Command, Comptroller Auwal Baba Mohammed, described the revenue collection and seizures made as fallouts of increased compliance, just as he urged officers to redouble their efforts in revenue collection, trade facilitation and strict enforcement of anti smuggling activities.

Muhammed, in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abubakar Usman, said the command made a daily collection of N9.2billion on July 20, 2023. The feat according to him is the highest daily collection ever achieved in its existence since the port was established.

He said seizures made within the review period comprised of prohibited drugs, used tyres, rice, vegetable oil, two pistols found inside one groupage cargo and other sundry items.

He said one suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure while the matter is undergoing investigation.

In the area of trade facilitation, Comptroller Muhammed said the Command has achieved an increased level of compliance by importers, exporters, and their agents through deliberate system profiling and manifest tracking.

“Under the CAC’s direct supervision, dedicated officers of the command are using the system profiling yardstick to gauge the integrity levels of importers and consignees.

“This has helped in treating traders in line with their previous transaction records, which is reassuring that compliance pays through time saving and cost efficiency, ” he said.

The Controller urged all port users to be complaint and advised that compliant traders are shielded from the risk of getting their consignments seized; imposition of penalties after demand notices and possible arrests for prosecution as the case may require.

According to Comptroller Mohammed, non compliant traders spend more time and money paying for terminal space due to demurrage plus higher cost due to Demand Notice and penalties.

Comptroller Mohammed said the command has also raised the level of electronic manifest tracking to accelerate trade facilitation leveraging on available technology.

The CAC described the feat as a masterstroke in the journey towards trade facilitation and ease of doing business.

Meanwhile, Comptroller Mohammed has charged all officers of the command to sustain and improve upon the level of discipline the command has been noted for under his watch.

He characterised discipline as the foundation of good work etiquette, such as punctuality, diligent application of Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023 and other noble virtues that align with the law.

He further stressed that Nigeria has high expectations of the NCS and that the service is looking up to Apapa Command for its highest collection.

Comptroller Mohammed charged officers/men of the Command to use their knowledge of the job and the rules guiding the service to facilitate legitimate trade.

He said, “As we facilitate trade for compliant traders, let’s be wary of the possibility of releasing uncustom goods in error or in the guise of facilitating trade.

“I hereby charge you to do better in the second half of 2023 as the glory for the successes recorded in the first half belongs to all of us. “