The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command on Thursday disclosed that the revenue generated into the federal government coffers by command amounts to N1.022 trillion between January and December 2022.
Customs Area Controller of the Command, Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf explained that the revenue was about 16.07 percent more than what it collected, about N870,388 billion on behalf of the government in 2021.
Yusuf said “From the second quarter of 2022, the industry experienced a backdrop in trade, occasioned by fluctuation in exchange rate and a sharp drop in the purchasing power by the consumers which made trade unpredictable.
“However, with all these setbacks in the clearance value chain, the Apapa Command was able to collect revenue to the tune of N1.022 trillion as revenue for the year 2022.
“The feat was made possible because of the resilience of the command’s officers and men in blocking revenue leakages and ensuring that all unpaid declarations and unutilized PAARs were traced and accounted into the Federal Government coffers.”
Speaking of its fight against counterfeit and banned products, the CAC said the Service seized 157 containers of tramadol and other illicit drugs worth N14.4 billion in 2022 just as it arrested over 60 suspects who took part in various offenses related to contraband activities last year.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Thursday, the Area Controller informed maritime journalists that his command efforts aim at curbing in anti-smuggling operations through the country’s premier port has been intensified between by leveraging on its technological infrastructure to ensure that illicit trade, which poses threat to the national security and well-being of the society are being detected and controlled from finding their way to society.
“The Command has strived to move beyond its potential to ensure synergy and collaboration with other stakeholders in the port to address the menace of illicit importation. In the year under review, a total number of 157 containers with a duty paid value (DPV) of N14.4 billion were seized, as against 102 containers with DPV of N31.8 billion seized in the year 2021.