Smuggling: Customs tightens Seme land border

By Zika Bobby

the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said it has commenced a renewed effort of aggressive anti-smuggling operation by tightening the land border against smuggling activities. The command is deploying all necessary tools to ensure that the core mandate of its revenue generation, facilitation of legitimate trade and suppression of smuggling, amongst others is achieved.
The Customs Area Comptroller, Compt. Mohammed Aliyu, said combating smuggling is a major responsibility that the Customs is saddled with, and as such, compliance with government fiscal policies is not an option to an institution that is bestowed with such enormous responsibilities. He stated that officers are adequately motivated and re-oriented to execute their functions creditably and discretionally without compromise.
He reiterated that to key into the presidential mandate (reform, restructure and revenue generation), smuggling activities have to be confronted headlong to prevent revenue leakages: “This reality has necessitated the proactive approach of the enforcement unit to ensure smuggling activities is maximally suppressed in order to enhance and boost revenue generation.”
He charged officers and men to maintain the tempo in combating smuggling activities across the frontier, adding that though the drastic reduction of economic activities through the corridor has impacted negatively on the revenue profile of the command, the command remains undaunted in ensuring that smuggling is suppressed to its barest minimum.
He disclosed that recent items seized by the command included, 3200 x 50KG bags of rice, 1000 cartons of frozen poultry products which have since been destroyed in accordance with the extant laws,720×25 jerry cans of vegetable oil and 57 bales of second hand clothing, with a total duty paid value of N54.4 million.
He called on Nigerians, stakeholders and other relevant agencies at the borders to help the service in giving credible intelligence for all kinds of trans-border crimes to be nipped in the bud, while reiterating that the command will continue to protect the Nigerian economy by ensuring that local industries are protected to give employment opportunities to the teaming population of unemployed youths.
He stated that this could only be achieved by ensuring that the fiscal policies of government are enforced. He used the Customs Community Consultative Forum (CCCF) platform to sensitise and advised the youth in the host communities to stay away from border vices as offenders caught in the act will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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