Seme Customs Command Generates N431Million Revenue, Says Border Fully Operational

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has announced that it generated N431,160,300.72 as revenue into Federal Government coffers between January and May 2021.

This is even as the command has corrected an erroneous impression that the border was not fully operational, the command is assuring Nigerian importers and exporters take advantage of the border reopening and move their cargoes.

According to the spokesman of the command, ASC Hussain Abdulahi, the attention of the command was drawn to a misleading narrative in some quarters of the public that the Seme-Krake border has not been fully reopened, thereby limiting a seamless inflow and outflow of legitimate goods.

“It is pertinent to state that since the re-opening of some land borders by the Federal Government of Nigeria in December, 2020 with Seme Border Command being among the four borders re-opened, its operations has since been sustained on a full scale”

“Although some initial hitches were encountered by our Nigerian importers concerning high, charges of fees and levies imposed on the Nigeria bound goods before entry”

“On the other hand, the Command made pragmatic moves towards cementing a synergy and cooperation with the host community and other security agencies including the Republic of Benin Security agencies operating at the joint border post”

The spokesman man said the sum of N431,160,300.72 only was realized as revenue while N409,857,533.14 as duty paid value (DPV) from seizures during the period of January to date.

In a statement sent to DAILY TREND NEWS, he said “In addition, the Command was able to process and exited the following number of trucks within the period of January to date; ETLS one thousand fifty nine *(1059)* , EXPORT two thousand four hundred and eighty seven *(2487)* , IMPORT/BAGGAGE one hundred and seventy nine *(179)* and a total of seven hundred and thirteen *(713)* declarations were captured and processed”

“The above
achievements are indication that the border is not only open, but fully operational since the re-opening of the four (4) land borders by the Federal Government”

“To this end, the Command is calling on the general public to disregard such false information as it was just an imagination of the perpetrators mischievously aimed at casting doubt in the mind of Nigerians that are engaging with their legitimate businesses at the border”

“Finally, the Command will continue to actualize sustainable campaign and provision of necessary instruments with a view to facilitates legitimate businesses in line with extant government fiscal policies”