In the past seven months, 126 interceptions by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCSOyo/Osun )’s Area Command resulted in the recovery of contraband.
This was announced on Wednesday at a news conference held at the command center, the Customs Building in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the Area Controller, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba.
Foreign parboiled rice, Tokunbo automobiles, used clothes, bags, and shoes, Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), used tires, dry donkey skin, hashish, and vehicles used to transport the illicit commodities were among the things recovered.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the items seized was determined by the Comptroller to be N192,182,652 million.
4,217 50kg bags of parboiled rice, 914 25l kegs of gasoline, 40 bales and 5 sacks of used clothing, 17 Tokunbo vehicles, 167 pieces of used tyres, 13 sacks of used bags, a sack of used shoes, 69 sacks of dry donkey skin, and 80 (42kg) wraps of cannabis were among the items he listed as having been seized.
While awaiting authorization to turn over the seized cannabis to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, he said that sacks of dry donkey skin were given to the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service along with two suspects and a mode of transportation for further investigation.
Jaiyeoba revealed that dealing in donkeys violates Schedule 6 of the CETvand Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (flora/fauna), to which Nigeria is a signatory. Donkeys are an endangered species, according to Schedule 6.
Comptroller Jaiyeoba added that the area command brought in N46,431,321,578.65 billion from May to November, the review period.
When the revenue generated between January and April was added, the Comptroller estimated the total revenue generated as of November to be N65,462,925,412.30 billion.
The Area Controller stated that when comparing it to the money produced in 2021, this year’s revenue exceeded it with N8,557,947,642.35k, signifying an increase of 15.04%.
He added that the area command had also surpassed its revenue goal for the year by over N7 billion, or 11.45 percent.
The Comptroller claimed that the accomplishment was made possible by his command’s determination to uphold existing legal measures intended to promote legal trade.
He was pleased that excise traders operating within the command’s jurisdiction had complied with the law to a significant extent, since the command had continued to implement the provisions of the 2022 Finance Act that had placed some industries under excise control.
He credited the prompt intelligence sharing, cooperation, and notably the tenacity and vigilance of all Customs units within the states of Oyo and Osun for the success of his command.
Aside from the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Services, NDLEA, Operation Burst, Amotekun, and NAQS, he also praised their coordinated efforts.
Jaiyeoba assured all interested parties and legal business owners of full cooperation to assist their commerce and issued a warning to smugglers hoping to thwart Nigeria’s economic progress to stay away from the command’s jurisdiction.
In compliance with all current laws, he continued, the area command will continue to use all resources at its disposal to thwart and prosecute all lawbreakers.
