Customs generates over N100m in one month in Kebbi
Kebbi State Command of Nigeria Customs Services has it has generated N144,862,372 in revenue, representing 164% of its monthly target despite the general elections having revenue at the end of March.
The Controller of Customs in the state, Dr Ben Oramolugo, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Birnin-Kebbi, explained that as efforts put in place translate into positive outcomes, the Command’s revenue in the coming months throughout the year, “are hoping to meet surpassing the Command annual target of N1,058,702,466 billion.”
Oramalugo recently alerted that the Command received a credible intelligent report on smuggling activities of petroleum products in the Yauri area of the State ready to be snuggled out of the State through one of the waterways in Yauri.
He pointed out that the criminals who had escaped the scene upon sighting the Customs vehicle later appeared with hired thugs to resist the confiscation of the products, but men of the Customs stood their ground until reinforcement came from the Nigerian Army who helped in dispersing the crowd and a total of 304 kegs of petrol of 25 litres each were recovered from them and the filling station was instantly sealed off.
According to him, seizures made during the period under review include, 16,375 litres of petroleum products, 210 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 34 bales of second-hand clothes and 109 cartons of confectioneries among others and the estimated duty paid value of the seized items stood at N23,141,803 million.
“Since I took over barely two months ago, I have explored several ways, holding a series of meetings and interfacing with all stakeholders aimed at stemming the tide of smuggling and increased revenue generation,” Oramalugo said.
He also stress the needs that the command had brought all the trading communities on board in a deliberate and conscious effort to forge a common ground while, urging them to adhere strictly to extant guidelines on the import and export of goods.
He warned all the smugglers and their enablers in the State to desist from their nefarious as they will not fold their arms and allow any filling stations to be used as a conduit pipe for smuggling PMS out of the country.
