Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, flanked by some officers while inspecting the seized Indian Hemp packages and illicit drugs at the Seme-Border, Friday.

In what appeared a nine-month scorecard, the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said it has kept faith with the mandate of the service and the resolve of the officers and men of the command to adopt new strategies to boost trade and enforce Nigeria’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan Lagos Corridor ALCO. This is also in tandem with the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.

The command has also presented letters of commendation and congratulations to a total of 18 officers and men of the command, for their superlative performances in their designated beats. This commendation followed recommendation by the leadership of the command to the Comptroller General of the service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who graciously approved the reward for the operatives.

Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, while briefing newsmen Friday at the Seme Border, also disclosed that the officers and men in conjunction with the leadership of the command have kept faith with the pledge to promote legitimate trade along the corridor, especially given the present circumstances at the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post JBP, which is still recovering from the effects of the border closure.

Giving insights into the key performance indicators KPI of the command from January-September 2023, the Controller disclosed that out of a total of N1.96 revenue target given to the command for the 2023 fiscal year, it has collected a total of N1.904billion as at the close of business on September 8, 2023. This represents 97.2per cent of the total revenue target.

This also represents a growth rate of 52 per cent compared to the N885.5million collected in the comparative period of 2022.

He attributed this exponential growth in revenue to the painstaking efforts made by the leadership of the command in synergy with the officers and men as well as those of the stakeholders in ensuring compliance with the command’s revenue generation agenda. 

In terms of anti-smuggling operation, recall that the command had in February intercepted fake $6million (N2.7billion), which is in addition to other notable seizures recorded between January and August 2023.

They include 6, 560 50kg bags of rice equivalent to 16 trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice with Duty Paid Value of N312.2million, 13, 835 units of 30 litre- Jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit PMS, also called petrol, which equivalent to 415, 050 liters or 13 petroleum tankers with Duty Paid Value of N738.3million, 15,389 pieces of general merchandise goods.

Others include hard drugs and narcotics comprising 41 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, also called Indian Hemp, 4,900 tablets 225mg of Tramadol Tamol-X, 3,600 tablets of 225mg Tramadol Royal, 225, 157 tablets of Heineken Ecstacy and 864 packs of cigarette, among others.

Available records also show that at the early hours of Friday September 8, 2023, officers and men of the command along the Badagry Coast acting on credible intelligence intercepted 1,364 units of 30 liter- jerry cans of PMS, which is equivalent to 40,800 litres of more than one tanker load of the product with a Duty Paid Value DPV of N24.7million. It was further gathered that the total DPV for all the items seized for the period January- September 8, 2023 is N1. 8billion. The command had also seized 95 packages of donkey skins, an indication that the perpetrators of the crime must have murdered 95 donkeys in the country, thus depleting the species.

Comptroller Nnadi said: “Upon my assumption of duty on the 23 of January, 2023, I pledged to adopt new strategies to boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan Lagos Corridor ALCO in line with the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.

“I also promised along with officers and men to encourage compliant traders along the corridor bearing in mind the challenges of the JBP as one that is still recovering from the effects of the border closure. We have kept faith with that as will be explained in due course.

“Let me appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs for his support to the command, without which these could not have been possible and also appreciate the Seme- Badagry community for their cooperation and to officers and men of the command for their gallantry and patriotism.  Our greatest appreciation goes to the media for highlighting our modest efforts in Seme Area Command.

“It is gratifying to note that the CGC and the government of both countries and the stakeholders are all on the same page regarding the need to improve our relationship with a view to maximise the opportunities offered by the proximity of our two countries to the border and develop trade along the corridor.”

Among the 18 officers and men rewarded are those involved in the seizures of fake $6million, 15 fake International Passports and 10 Driver’s license as well as those of the Donkey skins in January, which is in line with the service’s culture of encouraging its personnel.

The CAC, who is on transfer to Tin Can Island Command, Apapa, also disclosed that Nigeria’s 2022 Fiscal Policy Measures by the Federal Ministry of Finance lifted the ban on export of goods imported into the country hitherto prohibited under item eight schedule six of the Common External Tariff.

He therefore urged stakeholders take full advantage of this gesture while African neighbours from other countries in the sub-region particularly the Republic of Benin should reciprocate this gesture where there are existing trade barriers.