Customs Go After Illegal Mining Companies, Sets Up Task Force in Oyo-Osun Command
The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said that it has set up four various task forces, among which is the Mining Task Force (MTF) created to comb the nook and crannies of both Oyo and Osun States in search of illegal mining operators.
The service has appealed to companies engaging in mining operations of precious stones and other national mineral assets within Nigeria, to register their operations with the Nigeria Customs Service to avoid embarrassment and sanctions.
While briefing journalists on Tuesday at the command, Area Controller of the Oyo-Osun command, Compt A.R Abdulkadir said the command has equally collected over ten billion naira as excise duty within the month of June, 2021 alone.
The other task forces that were set up by the Controller are; the Operation Fish-Out, Excise Task Force and the PMS Task Force.
Abdulkadir stated that the task forces were tasked with invoking relevant sections in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C45 LFN 2004 that guides all Customs Procedures.
“The MTF Team was created to comb the nook and crannies of both Oyo and Osun States in search of illegal mining operators who have failed to register their existence with the Nigeria Customs Service to enable proper monitoring, statistical data analysis and control of Precious Materials (Ornamental Stones)
that are mined and exported to foreign countries”
“In the midst of the recent security challenges across the Country, we have sharpened our intelligence, revenue and enforcement capabilities to fight smuggling and enforce compliance with reference to extant laws guiding our procedures and rules of engagement” he said
On anti-smuggling, Comptroller Abdulkadir stated that fifty seizures were made with eight detentions amounting to the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N66,976,000.
“It is worthy of note that the Oyo/Osun Area Command made history by collecting an excise duty of N10,658,695,609.41 (Ten Billion, Six Hundred and Fifty Eight Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Nine Naira and Forty One Kobo) in the month of June; which is the highest collected in a month in the history of the Command.
“On the anti-smuggling drive, the Command made 50 (Fifty)seizures and 8 (Eight) detentions resulting in a Duty Paid Value of N66,976,000 (Sixty Six Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand Naira) only, as analysed below.
On revenue, the Controller said the command made collection of N15,871,894,311.83 (Fifteen Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy One Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety Four thousand, Three Hundred and Eleven Naira and Eighty Three Kobo) only, thereby bringing the cumulative revenue collected for the 2021 fiscal year, as at 6 July 2021 to N36,658,156,560.99 (Thirty Six Billion, Six Hundred and Fifty Eight Million, One Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Naira and Ninety Nine Kobo) only.
Some of the seized items include;
3200 bags of 50kg parboiled rice worth N56,320,000.00; 740 pieces of used tyres with DPV of N4,440,000.00
7 bales of second hand shoes worth N252,000.00; 47 bales of second hand clothing worth N5,640,000.00
8 cartons of Foreign tomato paste worth N64,800.00 and 15 cartons of foreign insecticide with DPV of N259,200.00.
Total Duty Paid Value for the seized items amounted to N66,976,000.00.
“Within this period, the Command also made a seizure of 525 (Five Hundred and Twenty Five) kegs of 25ltrs each and 2 (Two) drums of 100 ltrs each of Premium Motor Spirit (otherwise known as Petrol) by the recently inaugurated PMS TaskForce.
“Upon approval from the Headquarters, they would be auctioned and proceeds would be remitted accordingly and accounted for.
“The Command also made a detention of 1 (One) unit of 2017 Honda Accord sedan car along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway pending presentation of necessary Customs document.
“There were 2 (Two) suspects arrested during this period. However, they have been granted bail pending determination of their cases.”
