…Records N212.5Billion Revenue In 2023 Q1
In it’s resolve to enforce government fiscal policies and extant laws by ensuring that all import and export consignments transiting through Lagos Ports are duly examined, the Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service has recorded several seizures in the first quarter of 2023.
The command made seizures of fourteen (14) containers comprising of prohibited items such as vegetable oil, footwears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value of twenty-two billion, ninety-nine million, six hundred and eighteen thousand, one hundred and eleven naira (N22,099,618,111.00).
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of the Command, Comptroller Auwal Baba Mohammed disclosed this to news men at the command, on Tuesday.
Comptroller Auwal Baba Mohammed hinted that on Friday, 31st March 2023, the command uncovered a large quantity of 225mg of tramadol tablets concealed in 2x40ft container numbers TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803.
He added that one hundred and forty-three million, eight hundred thousand (143,800,000) tablets of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3 tonnes (10,386kg) that originated from India. “This single seizure is valued at twenty-one billion, six hundred million naira (N21,600,000,000.00).
“We are on the look-out for those behind such unlawful importation for arrest and very soon we will track them down to face the full wrath of the law. As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty to prevent this kind of importation from entering the market to safeguard the health of the citizenry.
“Let me use this opportunity to warn perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) and other extant laws, that Apapa Command will only facilitate legitimate trade” Auwal quipped.
Speaking on revenue generation and export trade, Auwal disclosed that between the period of January through March, the command recorded a total collection of two hundred and twelve billion, five hundred and ninety-two million, six hundred and eighty thousand, seven hundred naira, ninety-nine kobo (N212,592,680,700.99.
While on export trade, the command processed agricultural goods such as sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus, mineral resources, steel ingot and others with a total tonnage of 110,448 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023.
He added that statistics from the export report shows that the exported goods are worth seventy billion, two hundred million, eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight naira, sixty-seven kobo (N70,200,829,358.67) which he said is equivalent to Free on Board (FOB) value of $159,845,232.84.
The command boss also disclosed that since he took over mantle of the command he has been meeting various stakeholders and other government agencies.
“Since my assumption of duty here, I have been meeting with various stakeholder groups comprising importers, exporters, licensed agents, freight forwarders, and others. I am happy to note that these meetings are yielding good results and will be sustained in days ahead.
“In this command, we have a deliberate culture of inter-agency collaboration with other government organizations. Within this first three months, I have enjoyed robust sharing of credible intelligence and support from other agencies of government” he said.
He however appreciates the CGC, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) CFR and his Management team for their untiring support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and synergy, Officers and men of Apapa Command for their determined resilience.
