Kebbi Area Command Generates N99m In July 2023
Kebbi Area Command Generates N99m In July 2023
By Okezie Nnadi
The Kebbi Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service has generated the sum of N99m for the month of July.
The Command has turned the wheel of focus towards it because it is one of the key pillars upon which Nigeria Customs Service is built.
TheCommand, in its effort to surpass its last month’s achievement which was affected by festive activities, has devised various means of revenue generation revival. Though, the Coup d’état in our neighbouring Niger Republic and subsequent border closure of our border with the affected West African country has sharply affected our revenue generation drive, the Command still managed to rake in a whooping sum of ninety nine million, two hundred and eighty two thousand, five hundred and forty seven naira (₦99,282,547) in the month of July alone, which is 113% of our monthly revenue target.
This remarkable achievement is as a result of sustained synergy with relevant units and other security agencies at border stations as well as routine meetings with relevant stakeholders and border communities, encouraging and orientating them on smooth flow of customs procedures using conventional media and other social media platforms. We are poised to sustain such tempo.
It is a well-known fact that higher revenue generation is achieved with increase in suppression of smuggling. The Command’s officers and men are on high alert and their morale is high, thus leading to the twenty eight (28) seizures recorded within the period under review which are listed here under:
a. 138 packs of tramaking/tramadol (225mg)
b. 81 tablet size of Cannibis Sativa
c. Used Toyota Camry 2007 Model as means of conveyance
d. 46 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each and 40 bags of rice of 25 kg each
e. 88 bales of second hands clothing
f. 4,200 liters of PMS and 525 liters of diesel
g. 37 kegs of vegetable oil, among others.
The Duty Paid Value of the seized items is fifty one million, four hundred and ninety nine thousand, three hundred and fourteen naira (₦51,499,314).
You may not fail to observe that notable among the seizures are cannabis sativa and hard drugs worth twenty two million, one hundred and thirty two thousand, seventy seven naira (₦22, 132, 077) which will be handed over to NDLEA shortly after this briefing. The seizure of such drugs is in line with the vow we made during our previous press briefing that we are determined to rid kebbi state of drug inflow and all items capable of causing harm to Nigerians.
Gentlemen of the press, you are all aware of the development in our neighbouring Niger Republic and the subsequent sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on the country. In our part as a command, after ensuring that we closed our border with the Niger Republic for both import and export, we also embarked on public sensitization/orientation visits to the neighbouring communities.
Particularly, we visited the good people of Kamba in Dandi Local Government Area on Saturday, 5th August, 2023. This timely visit was to ensure total compliance to the border closure sanction. We also used the opportunity to sympathize with the host communities and our stakeholders who use Kamba as an import/export hub. And the Command assured them that diplomatic engagement is ongoing to settle the matter peacefully.
