By Chinonye Anyatonwu
The Comptroller General of Customs Strike Force Team, Zone ‘A’, has made seizures with Duty Paid Value of Seven Billion, Four Hundred and Thirty Two Million, Five hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand, Seventy Five naira (7,432, 596, 075) in Six months.
The seized items included 8,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, equivalent to 13 trucks, 1x40ft container of Tramadol, Sildenafil citrate, 1613 bottles of 100ml Codeine, 1079 bales of secondhand clothing, 3,695 pieces of used tyres, 966 slabs of Donkey skin, 77,760 pairs of new Ladies shoes, 5,250 pairs of used shoes and 197 logs of wood.
Disclosing this at a press briefing in Lagos recently,
the Strike Force Coordinator, Deputy Comptroller Muhammad Sani Yusuf noted that the sum of Three Billion, One Hundred and Forty Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety Nine Naira (N3,140,758,599) was recovered through issuance of demand notices; this was done sequel to our discoveries of short payment of duties within the period of six (6) months.
Yusuf said the amount would have been lost, but for the vigilance and uncompromising disposition of the operatives in the discharge of duties.
Within the same period in 2021, Yusuf explained that the Force recorded a total collection of One Billion, Eight Hundred and Eight Million, Three Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety One naira (N1,808,316,391) which shows an increase of One Billion, Three Hundred and Thirty Two Million, Two Hundred and Forty Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Eight naira ( N1,332,242,208) representing 73% of revenue increase.
Yusuf revealed that a total number of four suspects were apprehended in connection with the seizures.
Speaking on local production, the Deputy Comptroller advised Nigerians to embrace made-in-Nigeria products. “Specifically, importing what we can produce threatens our economy; unlawful felling of trees degrades the environment and promotes deforestation while the illegal killing of wildlife creatures and endangered species like pangolin and donkeys for their scales and skins respectively, could lead to these animal’s extinction,” he noted.
He advised all importers, agents, haulage operators and the entire business community operating in the South West to keep themselves abreast with the import and export prohibition lists and guidelines.
Item seized by the Force
