From left: Customs Area Controller, Seme Command, Comptroller Kayode Kolade and wife of the Command’s PRO, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Hussein Abdullahi decorate him with his new rank at the Seme Border, Monday.

The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said it generated a total of N7.2billion for the 2024 fiscal year, which ended December 31, 2024. This represents 80 per cent of its revenue target performance for the period under review. The current revenue performance is also N1.3billion higher than the N5.9billion collected in the comparative period of 2023, representing a 21.7per cent growth rate.

From left: CAC, Comptroller Kolade, Command PRO, Husseini and his wife shortly after his decoration.

Speaking on Monday at the Seme-Krake Borders shortly after decorating a total of 89 officers, Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Kayode Kolade, also disclosed that the Command up its game in terms of non-oil export activities, handling a total of 306, 039.57 metric tonnes, which is equivalent of 8,487 trucks of Nigerian export goods with a Free On Board FOB value of N77.9billion ($76.7million) for the 2024 fiscal year.

Recall that the 89 officers of the Command were promoted late last year, among who was the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Hussein Abdullahi, who was elevated from his former rank of Superintendent of Customs.

It was further gathered that the Command generated a total of N387.9million during the review period through the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme NESS while a total of N87.4million surcharge was paid through the Command for the 2024 fiscal year.

In terms of anti-smuggling operations, the Comptroller reported that the Enforcement Unit of the Command sustained its surveillance across the country’s borders within its jurisdiction, leading to 921 interceptions comprising several contraband items covering illicit drugs, arms and petroleum products.

Details of the seizures show that a total of 37 tanker loads of Premium Motor Spirit PMS, comprising 40, 671 litres of the products loaded in 30 jerry can containers, 19 trailer loads of rice comprising 11, 569 bags of 50 kg bags of rice, 29 used vehicles and means of conveyance and 1, 934 parcels of hard drugs and narcotics with a duty paid value DPV of N1.9billion while 48 suspects were arrested.

Recall also that the Command won the best land border command in trade facilitation during the Comptroller General of Customs Award, held in November, 2024, which was a recognition of the Command’s modest contributions as it always strives for excellence.

“The above successes recorded were as a result of the painstaking efforts of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and his management team for providing the necessary tools and a conducive environment for officers to work. For instance, here in Seme Command, there are massive constructions and renovations of officers’ accommodations, ongoing review of officers’ allowances, among several others were major factors for the motivation”, Comptroller Kolade said.

While speaking on the promotion, which many of both officers of the senior and junior cadres from the Command benefitted from, he disclosed that the Minister of Finance, Olawale Edun, who doubles as Chairman of the Customs Board, approved the promotion of  4, 291 senior officers while the management approved the promotion of 1419 junior officers across ranks.

It was further gathered that 135 officers comprising both the junior and senior cadres of the Command benefitted from the promotion exercises, comprising 89 senior and 44 junior officers.

The Comptroller, who congratulated the newly promoted officers, urged them to be inspired by their elevation to more for the Service and Nigeria as a whole, arguing that who much is given, much is also expected. For those not promoted now, he urged to be patient, as promotion comes only from God, assuring that theirs’ would definitely come in the next exercises before long.

While thanking the Seme and Badagry communities, sister government agencies and other stakeholders for their support, he reminded them that January 26, every year is the International Customs Day ICD, which is set aside to mark the World Customs Day celebration.

To commemorate this year’s event, the Command organised a medical outreach to avail stakeholders the opportunity to know their health status.