Business
Customs Generates N2 bn In Four Months In Ogun
The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it generated about N2.36 billion revenue within the first four months of the year.
The Area Controller of the Command, Haruna Mamudu, said this at a news conference in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Mamudu said the amount, N2,356,937,173, was an improvement over the sum of N1,985,420,606 generated at the same period in 2014.
He added that the command also made 361 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N319,967,326 during the period under review.
The controller noted that the seizures were lower than that of the same period in 2014 which, he said was 485 with DPV of N508,942,136.
He, however, attributed the decrease in the seizures to the enhanced vigour with which the anti -smuggling campaign had been pursued since the beginning of the year.
The Customs chief said that the agency also seized a large consignment of Indian hemp, weighing 1, 259 kg from suspected traffickers last Sunday .
Mamudu said the seizures were made at Imeko, in Imeko-Afon council area of the state and also, a border town between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin
He added that the illicit substance, which was seized from the traffickers following a tip-off, had already been handed over to the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Mamudu explained that there was a good working relationship among the various security agencies in their fight against crime.
Business
Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.