From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Customs Area Command has intercepted some assorted items from suspected smugglers worth N45,030,111 million as well as N98,413,963 million from the importation of goods through the Kamba border.
The Customs Area Controller, Kebbi State Command, Comptroller Joseph O Attah, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command for the month of July and since the reopened of the Kamba border, said that the success story on the seizures of items was made possible due to credible intelligence from the patriotic Nigerians.
According to him, “in our continued offensive against economic saboteurs across borders in Kebbi State, the Command has, through credible intelligence from patriotic Nigerians, successfully recorded seizures of assorted items.
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“These 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 N45,030,111. In the aspect of revenue following the reopening of the Kamba border, the initial hurdles earlier encountered are being surmounted.
“There had been intensified stakeholders engagements to ensure seamless clearance of goods across the border,” Attah said.
He added that, in the course of their series of sensitization, town hall meetings organised in Kamba, the Command also met their counterpart, Nigerien at Bureau de 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,” he said.
“Also, in line with our core function of trade facilitation, the Command has so far facilitated the export of 7,377 metric tons of goods through the Kamba border. Items formally exported include coal, onions, pepper and ginger among others,” he said.
Attah added that the Command is determined to ensure that only legitimate trade is allowed and urged all the stakeholders to always complied with the processes, and procedures in accordance with the nation’s extant laws.