National Coordinator of the Compliance Team of Controller General of Customs , Comptroller Azarema Ahmed, at the weekend, disclosed that a total sum of N1,100,000,000 was collected as revenue in the three zones of the region and remitted to the Federation Account.
The zones comprise Zone A, Western Region, (with six states); Zone B, Northern Region (with 19 states) while Zone C, the Eastern Region (with 11 states).
The breakdown of the money remitted so far shows that in each of the month’s operations, the total sum of N263.5 million was realised as revenue.
Also, Ahmed said that fake drugs worth over N14,046,585.00, million were intercepted in Benin City following the intense pressure mounted by the team against the smugglers.
Such prohibited items include, 10 cartons of 100mg ostnim, 137 cartons of herogra, 618 cartons of diarriatus and 384 cartons of chest and lung tablets.
Speaking while handing over the items to the assistant director of National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Benin, Edo State, Mr. Godwin Tonwuru, Ahmed said the items whose country of origin is India are not only unregistered, they are also banned from coming into the country. He expressed gratitude to the officer in charge of Edo axis, Kaila Shuaibu, who was adjudged the “Most Outstanding Customs Officer” of the zone, for making some unimaginable seizures.
According to Ahmed, between April and now, about eight different types of luxury cars have been seized. They are three Lexus Jeep cars, three Toyota Corolla cars, one Toyota Camry and one Acura ZDX all from 2013 to 2017 models with duty paid value of N71,425,112. Others are 2,977 bags of rice, compressor generator with DPV of N2, 100,000; 2,750 cartons of poultry products with DPV of N17,875,000 and 50 bales of used and secondhand clothing with DPV of N18,500,000
“This feat was achieved through seizures of prohibited items, underpayment, undervaluation of goods and demand notice (DN).
While thanking the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) and his management team for the provision of logistics that brought about the success, he advised the enemies of Nigerian economy to engage themselves in other meaningful businesses or face the full wrath of the law.
Recall that the Comptroller General’s Compliance Team was inaugurated in April 2017, with the mandate to block revenue leakages, suppress smuggling activities and also boost revenue generation.
The team is coordinated by Comptroller Azarema Ahmed, which has three zones, A, B, and C.