Trade facilitation and increase in revenue profile from all the Customs Command nation-wide have been enhanced since the establishment of the Comptroller General’s Compliance Team in the past six months. Seizure profile of contraband goods has also moved up as imports worth more than half a billion naira had been intercepted by the team co-ordinated by Assistant Comptroller, M.I Jalo.
Already, uncustomed cargoes which were hitherto released from the seaports and the border stations had been nipped in the bud, while accurate duties are now paid on goods being cleared at the various entry points, leading to a peak in the revenue of the commands. Enforcement stations like Seme/Badagry as well as Idiroko borders have experienced sharp increase in their monthly revenue to an average of N1 billion, as against N500 million previously recorded.
The team spoke of its determination to encourage importers and ensuring that the country is not made a dumping ground for fake products or contrabands. It has mopped up some of the smugglers’ warehouses in Lagos where smuggled rice were deposited in large quantity after they were repacked with sacks which they do not have legal authority to produce.
The new operation accounts for the less inflow of imported rice which normally flooded the Western borders of the country during the Christmas period and other festivals. To date, foreign parboiled rice intercepted by the officers totaled 21,314 bags with Duty Paid Value (DPV) hitting N138,541,000. also about N40 million worth of poultry products were seized.
The Comptroller General’s Compliance Team made a striking seizure recently of three Bullet Proof Vehicles worth N120 million whose owners outrightly evaded duties. The vehicles include Mercedes G. Wagon (2015 model), Lexus 750 (2015 model), and Escalade 2015 model as well. Other cargoes seized include, second hand clothings totaling 1,387 bales; 7,344 pieces of used tyres as well as large quantity of vegetable oil.
Lagos Zonal Commander, Chief Supt H Bello said that the team was well prepared with all the logistics and human resources to prosecute the functions assigned to it by the Comptroller-General and will leave no stone unturned in that regard.
Importers who play according to the rules should have no fear as the team is on ground to stamp out products that are either prohibited or injurious to the health of the citizens as well as Nigeria’s economy. For effective policing of the nation against economic saboteurs, the Customs Comptroller General Col. Ali appointed 6 officers to ensure maximum efficiency
They include Assistant Comptroller Jalo as the Co-ordinator, Chief Supt. Nwokocha is the Deputy while Chief Supt. Bello H. is Zonal Commander for Lagos zone. Supt. of Customs Sani A.A is Sector Commander for Seme axis, Supt. Longji LJ takes charge of Ogun axis while Supt. Shazin Z.M is Sector Commander of Oyo axis.