Customs Generates N7bn In C’River, A’Ibom

The Cross River and Akwa Ibom states Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Services have generated N7, 845,241,264.65 out of the N8,750,385,298.38 revenue target set for the Command in 2017.
Customs Area Controller in Cross River State, Calabar Free Trade Zone and Akwa Ibom State Area Command, Patience Nanbyen, disclosed this while briefing journalists on activities of the organisation within the period under review.
Nanbyen stated that the figures represent a 58 per cent increase compared to what was recorded for the corresponding period last year and 89 per cent of the 2017 revenue target.
The Controller said that with the figures stated above, the command has not only met their target for the year, but had also surpassed it.
She said that the organisation has made 28 seizures for the period under review which include used motor tyres, used vehicles, live animals and a total of 1,521 (kg) bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice compared with corresponding period last year of four seizures and 683 (50kg) bags of smuggled foreign rice.
According to her, the duty paid value of the above items mentioned was put at N34,945,516.11 threatening that in as much as smugglers will continue to operate, Customs shall continue to apprehend them so as to deter others from going into brisk and dubious businesses.
The Custom boss in the Area said that the command would do everything possible to stem the tide of all smuggling and business activities that infringed on the law of the land, adding that the command was poised to comb the nooks and crannies to fish out those involved in contraband goods.
In her words she said “I want to re-emphasise that in line with headquarters directives to beef up security along the jetties and borders considering the security threats of illegal importation of arms through the nation’s seaports, the command in conjunction with other security agencies and units are deploying high level intelligence to fortify the entire area in order to foil any attempts at arms smuggling and other trans border crimes.”
The controller in the area said that in a bid to facilitate trade, the Nigerian customs services has provided a platform (Nigeria Trade Hub) for all stakeholders to fast track clearance of goods and also to facilitate trade.