Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi flanked by members of othe security agencies and officers of the Service during a press briefing in Lagos, Thursday.

The Tin Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has set a 40-year high revenue record, as it collected a whopping N1.046trillion on import duty paid into the country’s federation account over a period of 11 months, spanning January-November, 2024. This marks the first time the Command is getting to the N1trillion revenue threshold since it was established about 40 years ago.

The Command has also intensified its anti-smuggling campaign, which led to the significant seizures of 16 containers of various types of contrabands comprising illicit substances, unregistered pharmaceutical products and other items. 

Addressing newsmen jointly with other security agencies comprising the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, Directorate of State Security Service DSS and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni said the Command has collected a total of N1.046trillion as at November 7, 2024.

The visibly elated CAC attributed the feat to the visionary and purposeful leadership of the Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and the entire management, through various reforms and automation of the Customs processes, which has given the stakeholders, especially the importing public the impetus to adopt voluntary compliance and huge incentives to the officers.

“We are glad to announce that several of our stakeholders share our vision of voluntary compliance and are supporting our reforms in the Command. With the cooperation of these category of stakeholders and a few others who have been encouraged to comply through our enlightenment programmes, we are glad to announce that the Command as at today, November 7, 2024 has generated the sum of N1,046,496,593,103.60. 

“The Command wishes to celebrate this milestone of collecting over one trillion naira as customs duty being the first time this has been achieved in its history.

“I dedicate this achievement to the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and his management team. The Command acknowledges the specific roles of the DCG Tariff and Trade and the DCG ICT /Modernisation for their contributions too. Aware that a secure border will translate to more revenue at the seaports, we also appreciate the support of the DCG Enforcement, Investigation & Inspection in enforcing compliance among our stakeholders leading to the increased revenue in the Command”, Comptroller Nnadi said. 

Recall that the Command had in the 2023 fiscal year collected a total of N706billion. For the 2024 fiscal year, the Command was given a revenue target of N1.43trillion out of which it has already collected N1.046trillion as at November 7, 2024.

The comptroller also disclosed that the 16 containers, laden with illegally imported substances imported from India, United Kingdom and Canada, were all seized between May 17-October 23, 2024. They include Codeine-based productscontainingnumerous shipments of cough syrups with codeine, they include Barcadin with Codeine, Broncleer with Codeine, and DSP with Codeine for throat and chesty cough (100ml, 200 bottles per carton).

Others include 420 cartons of Royal 225 (Tapentadol HVCL 125mg and Carisoprodol BP 100mg), 200 cartons of 5mg Benzhexol tablets (Brand: Trodal), 77 packets of Cannabis Indica(38.5kg), 532 packets (265.025kg), and 75 packets (37.5kg), Diclofenac Sodium Tablets, which are really extra brand (50mg, 100 packs per carton).

Other seized goods include Ceiling fans, Deluxe Chilli Cutters, stainless steel blenders, Biomal Artesunate Injection.

Details of the vessels of importation include SpilKartika (Hapag Lloyd, voyage No. 2417W, Volana (Hapag Lloyd, voyage Nos. 2416W, 2421W) Maliako (Hapag Lloyd, voyage No. 2421W) WadiBani Khalid (Hapag Lloyd, voyage Nos. 2423W), MSC Sweden VI and MSC Katyayni NY427A.

The head of the NDLEA at the port, Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju, who also spoke during the briefing, attributed the seizures to the synergy that exists between all the security, which facilitates sharing of credible intelligence.