Seme Customs Command Intercepts Goods Worth N409.8Million
Seme Customs Command Controller, Compt M.Jibo and the Chairman, Seme LCDA commissioning an ultramodern convenience complex built at J5 area of the border station on Wednesday
…Builds Toilet Facilities, Establishes Foot Ball Team
The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Border Area Command, Wednesday, said it had intercepted contraband with duty paid value of N409, 851,533 since the reopening of the border.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Comptroller Bello Jibo, disclosed this at a news conference at ECOWAS Joint Border Post, Seme-Krake.
The customs boss stated that in a bid to sustain the existing cordial relationship with the host communities, the Command through cooperate social responsibility (CSR) initiative has equally constructed a modern convenience at the International Park, J4, in Seme Badary West Local Government to assist the travellers both local and international.
Compt Jibo also disclosed to journalists that the command is partnering with an NGO named Community Football Foundation for the establishment of a Football Club named Badagry United.
He said the club has already been registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Oba Akran of Badagry; De Wheno Aholu Menu- Toyi 1, OFR, LLD, DLITT, JP has been presented with the certificate of Grand Patron where the new team received royal blessing and support.
He also conducted journalists round the site of an ongoing construction of 32, 30 and 16 man ranks and files Barracks accommodation to cover the inadequacy of accommodation in the Command.
He said this is in line with the Comptroller General Reform agenda, that sees the welfare officers as paramount.
According to the CAC, there is also an ongoing renovation of Deputy Comptroller’s quarters as well as the new upgraded Customs Bonded terminal to accommodate consignments, in the event the approved private bonded terminal cannot handle the volume of consignments coming into Nigeria
While giving details of the banned substances, smuggled into Nigeria through the border, he said these included 232 wraps of cannabis sativa, 98 used vehicles, 5,568 bags of rice and two sacks of condom.
Jibo said that the contraband were smuggled in within the period from Dec.17th, when the Federal Government announced the reopening of four land borders to date.
He said that officers of the command had taken full advantage of renewed strategies to intensify the fight against smuggling.
“This has led to remarkable interception of 705 items, the duty paid value of the seized items is N409, 851,533 only.
“The breakdown of the seized items is, 5,568 bags of 50kg foreign rice, 3,208 Jerry cans of petrol, 98 used vehicles, 294 cartons of frozen poultry products and 232 parcels of cannabis sativa.
“Others are 798 cartons of tomato paste, three cartons of sugar, six cartons of slippers, 305 pairs of used shoes, 30 cartons of Nescafe, and 19 cartons of non-alcoholic wine.
“We also seized 10 cartons of cigarettes, 12 cartons of herbal soap and two sacks of condoms,” he said.
The Comptroller said that the achievement was an indication that men and officers of the command are not losing its guard in detecting and stemming the tide of nefarious activities perpetrated by daredevil smugglers.
He said that with the reopening of land borders, the command had harnessed all revenue components in line with the new operational guidelines.
The controller disclosed that the command had recorded trade volume of 348,827,775 metric tons of exported goods with Free on Board (FOB) value of N4, 277,047,153 only.
According to Jibo, the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme value stood at N21, 384,443.
“The overall revenue remitted into the Federation accounts is N80, 774,807 during the period under review, while the grand total for both seizure and revenue is N490, 626,431 only,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Controller handed over the 232 parcels of cannabis sativa to the officials of Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Seme.
Shortly before handing over the cannabis, Jibo said it was intercepted along the beach area of the border.
He disclosed that the smugglers were using speed boats to convey the drugs into the country through the waterways when they were intercepted.
Jibo said the command would ensure that they get rid of drugs coming illegally into the country.
Commenting shortly after the handover of the cannabis, Mr Essein Udotong, the Commander, NDLEA, Seme Command, said the country would overcome its security challenges if security operatives cooperate with one another.
He hailed the operatives of the Seme Customs Area command for intercepting the substance.
The commander said the drugs had the ability to cause much damage to smokers if not seized.
Udotong said that the agency would carry out further investigation to find out those involved in smuggling cannabis into the country.
“The cannabis has been handed over to us and we will look for the owners; the present NDLEA has what it takes to arrest the people behind the illicit drug,” he said.
