Seme customs harps on strict adherence to ECOWAS protocols

•Rolls out tough measures against smuggling
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Area Command has urged all the relevant border security agencies to comply with the presidential directives on the ease of doing business and strict adherence to the ECOWAS protocols of eliminating trade barriers within the sub-region.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Aliyu, said the Command had since complied with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol (along the international route), and therefore urged all other agencies operating along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor to respect the resolve of the Federal Government in eliminating all barriers that impede the ease of doing business.

Aliyu, in a statement signed by the Customs Public Relation Officer, Seme Border, Taupyen, Selchang, also said the Command generated N701million in the month of August 2017.

According to him, the Anti- Smuggling unit of the Command also made a total of 48 seizures with a duty paid value of N32.8million for the month under review. The revenue generated for the month exceeded the N499.6 million generated in the corresponding month of July 2017, with the sum of N201million.

Aliyu disclosed that the command is deploying all strategies and bringing to bear every professional dexterity to the fore in order to boost revenue generation in the busiest land border in sub-Saharan Africa despite the daunting challenges in the country.

The Comptroller explained that the fluctuating revenue which is now gradually increasing with each passing month, was occasioned by the downturn on economic activities and other technical forms of revenue leakages that are now being professionally addressed, adding that the Command remains committed and focused on implementing the core functions of the Service without distraction.

The Customs helmsman affirmed that the leadership of the Command is leaving no stone unturned in order to ensure that every porous avenue leading to revenue leakages is completely blocked, and the appropriate revenue due to the Federal Government collected.

Emphasizing on measures put in place to curtail revenue losses, the Comptroller directed that henceforth, Bank confirmation for every duty payment must be verified before the release of goods, he added that all imported goods must pass through the revenue unit in order to observe the necessary import documentation formalities, while personal effects / merchandise in baggage must pass through the Baggage unit for assessment using the passengers baggage electronic system.

He warned that infraction (leakages through any form of irregularities) of any kind observed would be traced back to where it originated from, for appropriate sanctions against the perpetrators.

He added that the command’s anti-smuggling effort in intelligent driven seizures has yielded the desired result of harvesting seizures of import prohibitions.

The result of the team work led to the seizure and evacuation of about nine hundred bags of 50kg fertilizer that was warehoused at J5 garage Seme border, 1840 cartons by 60 pieces of mosquito repellant coils, insecticide spray, soap, creams, mosquito repellant cream, second hand clothing and bags, printed textile materials, new ladies hand bags and other items.