In ensuring compliance with extant laws and policies, the Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated N2,048,487,969 as revenue between 1 and 27 February.
The Customs Area Command also intercepted and seized smuggled consignments with a duty-paid value of N165.387 million within two weeks of the said month.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday at the Area Command’s headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, on his command’s achievements following his assumption of duty, the Area Controller, Comptroller Joseph Olugbuyi Adelaja, stated that the revenue generation reflects the diligence and efficiency of the command’s officers and men in significantly reducing tax evasion through the adoption of advanced technology.
The Comptroller disclosed that the deployment of data analytics has enabled the command to monitor trade flows and effectively identify discrepancies.
On anti-smuggling activities, Comptroller Adelaja noted that the command intercepted and seized prohibited and uncustomed items within two weeks of his assumption of office on 7 February.
The seized goods include 1,043 bags of 50-kilogramme foreign parboiled rice worth N114.73 million, 452 pieces of used tyres worth N43.392 million, 233 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) with a duty-paid value of N5.825 million, and two bales of used clothes worth N1.44 million.
The Comptroller pointed out that these interceptions and seizures have reduced the illegal inflow of products that undermine local industries, particularly rice farmers and manufacturers, leading to an increase in the production and consumption of local rice in Oyo and Osun states.
In the command’s bid to enhance border monitoring, Comptroller Adelaja said that surveillance of key entry points and transit routes within the Oyo/Osun region has been intensified through a combination of physical inspections, surveillance technology, and intelligence sharing with other security agencies.
“The command’s anti-smuggling operations have been strengthened through increased collaboration with other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
“These partnerships have facilitated the exchange of intelligence and enabled joint operations to dismantle smuggling networks operating in the region,” the Area Controller added.
He assured that the command would further prioritise sensitising members of the public on the negative impact of smuggling on the nation’s economy through media engagements and outreach programmes, in order to secure their support in the fight against illegal trade.
The Area Controller expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashiru Adeniyi, for ensuring that officers and men are well-equipped to perform their primary duties in the command.
He also thanked the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, for providing an enabling environment for Customs officers to carry out their work within the state.
He concluded that the command would remain resolute in its commitment to contributing to the nation’s development, securing the borders, and playing its pivotal role in economic growth.
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