By Isaac Anumihe
The Customs Area Controller(CAC) of Seme Command, Comptroller Dimka Victor David, at the weekend said that the command was battle-ready to implement the Federal Government policy on the ban of new and fairly-used cars imported through the border towns.
In a statement, the Command’s Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Taupyen, Selechang, said that it is re-strategising towards the implementation process bearing in mind that the dare-devil smugglers can be brutal and deadly.
He, however, reiterated that the command was battle-ready and equal to the task to confront the deadliest smuggler.
The CAC disclosed that presently, the vehicle seat in Seme border Command has been disbanded and its officers redeployed to beef up border’s patrols for effective implementation of the Federal Government policy.
According to him, the way smuggling of rice was drastically suppressed by the command, it is also fully committed to implementing same for vehicles that will be smuggled through the land border after January 1, 2017. He enjoined the public, stakeholders to be adequately sensitised and stay away from buying vehicles through the land borders to avoid losses. The Comptroller re-emphasised that facilitating legitimate trade was one of the service core mandate noting that legitimate trade in new and fairly-used vehicles into Nigeria is now strictly facilitated in the seaports.
Meanwhile, he said that the Seme Area Command generated the sum of N1, 521,359,564.73 as revenue in the month of December, 2016.
“The amount exceeded the monthly revenue target of the Command and the amount collected in the corresponding year 2015 with N499, 558,434.40 and N101, 129,228.70 respectively. It is worthy to note that the Command has consecutively surpassed its monthly target for the month of November and December. Seme command also made a total of 74 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N55,641,124.56 in the same month of December, 2016. The enforcement unit of the command has succeeded in suppressing smuggling activities to the barest minimum. The anti-smuggling operation of the command in recent times is evident by the number of seizures made and the revenue generated by the Command in December, 2016” Selechang, said.
The CPRO, also stated that the command replicated the unprecedented feat recorded in the month of November, 2016 despite obvious challenges that would have ordinarily crippled the revenue drive of the command in the month of December.
“The repeated success was attributed to the doggedness and unflinching commitment of officers and men of the Command who were prepared to succeed at all costs despite the many challenges that militated against revenue collection in the Command” he said.
Commenting on the success recorded, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, disclosed that apart from the commitment of his officers and men, the feat recorded is also attributed to the recent policy pronouncement of the Federal Government banning the importation of new and fairly used vehicles through the land borders. He said the policy statement on the restriction of new and fairly-used vehicles through the land borders brought about an upsurge in the number of vehicles escorted into Seme Border, which translated to the increase in the Command’s revenue figure realized.
The Customs Area Controller further disclosed that the quest of the command to remain passionate and resolute in enforcing the fiscal policies of the Federal Government cannot be over emphasized. He said the Command generated into the Federal Government coffers a total of N10, 503,894, 089.81 from January to December, 2016 from general cargoes and vehicles. Duty and taxes accrued from escorted transit vehicles accounted for 56 per cent of the total revenue generated from January to December, 2016.
The Command, he said, recorded 848 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N608, 219,970.94 from January to December, 2016.
“There is a corresponding decline in smuggling activities occasioned by the aggressive anti-smuggling operation of the Command in order to ensure total compliance with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs and the Service extant laws” the statement, said. ENDS.