Customs seizes contraband worth N45m in Kebbi

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has intercepted assorted items from suspected smugglers, worth N45 million in Kebbi.

The Customs Area Controller in the state, Mr Joseph Attah, made this known while addressing newsmen on the activities of the command for the month of July, on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi.

He said that the success recorded in the seizure of the items was made possible due to credible intelligence from patriotic Nigerians.

“In our continued offensive against economic saboteurs across borders in Kebbi, the command has, through credible intelligence from patriotic Nigerians, successfully recorded seizures of assorted items.

“The items include: one Toyota Hilux 2021 model vehicle, 4,125 litres of PMS, 50 jerricans of vegetable oil,17 bales of second-hand clothes and 98 bags of fertiliser.

“The duty paid value of the above-mentioned items is N45 million,” he said.

In the area of revenue generation, Attah said that the command had raked in the sum of N98.4 million, following the reopening of Kamba border.

“After surmounting the initial hurdles earlier encountered and following the reopening of the border on April 25, there have been intensified stakeholders’ engagements to ensure seamless clearance of goods across the border.

“In addition to series of sensitisation and town hall meetings organised in Kamba, we also met with our Nigerien counterparts at Bureau she Douane in Gaya, Niger Republic.

“To this end, the revenue drive of the command has started picking up.

“The command has so far raked in the sum of N98,413,963 as revenue generated from import of goods, from when the border was opened till date,” he said.

Attah stated that the command had so far facilitated the export of 7, 377 metric tons of goods through Kamba border, in line with their core function of trade facilitation.

According to him, the items formally exported include: coal, onions, pepper and ginger, among others.

He expressed the command’s determination to ensure that only legitimate trades were allowed.

The controller urged all stakeholders to always comply with the processes and procedures, in accordance with the nation’s extant laws.