From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Kebbi State Area Command has disclosed that it has generated about N127 million for the month of November, 2022.
Spokesman of the Command, SC Nasiru Manga, confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
According to him, Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has continued to record seizures of second hand clothes, even as it intercepted items worth over forty six million naira and generated one hundred and twenty seven million naira as revenue in the month of November.
He said that,the achievement was disclosed by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Joseph Attah while showcasing the seized items by the Command in the last month.
According to him,”giving a breakdown of the Command’s activities, Attah said that the Command generated a sum of N127,839,390.75 as revenue from mostly import of goods into the country though Kamba border.
“On the area of anti smuggling, he stated that as patrol was intensified across Kebbi State, the Command seized smuggled assorted items consisting of 303 bales and 94 sacks of second hand clothing, one unit of used MBW vehicle, 2,375 liters of PMS loaded in jerricans and 58 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50KG each; among others with a duty paid value of N46,706,795.00″.
Manga who quoted Attah to have observed increase in the smuggling of second hand clothes, gave assurance that his officers are ever ready to scuttle the smugglers’ activities as the Command was well equipped with all the necessary logistics to strike at any time.
“From the record at our disposal, there is an increase in smuggling of second hand clothes in the last two months. You may recall that 139 bales were also seized in October. The smugglers cash in on the people’s demand for thick clothes such as cardigans in this harmattan season to smuggle these used clothes, not minding the health implication to the end use. We don’t know where the items came from or the last users of the clothes, their health status and so on.
“For the avoidance of doubt, second hand clothing falls under Schedule 4 of the Common External Tariff (CET) 2022-2026, importation of which is absolutely prohibited on health ground. Its smuggling contravenes Section 46 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C. 45 LFN, 2004 (as amended).
“It is our responsibility to ensure that no item that could negatively affect our people is allowed entry. We are determined to do just that”, he said.
The Command appreciates the management’s support through provision of logistics and it is determined to deal decisively with smugglers”.
He however called on all people of goodwill to support Kebbi Command by providing useful information for better service delivery.