Seme Customs Intercepts 3 Live Porcupines, Others Worth N326m, Arrests 6 Suspects
Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command, Compt Timi Bomodi (left) handing over the seized Cannabis to officials of the NDLEA
The Seme-Krake border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has announced the interception of three live porcupines as part of the notable seizures between September and October 2023.
This is in addition to past headline seizures of 168 live Parrot birds and a Hawk which are prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which Nigeria is a signatory.
The porcupines were intercepted on their way out of the border. The market value of each of them has been placed at N1.5million.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Command on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller, Timi Bomodi said that six suspects were arrested in connection with the various seizures.
Giving a breakdown of the other seizures, he listed 3,805 of 50kg bags of rice, totalling about Seven trailer loads, 1,756 Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent to 52, 680 liters about 2 petroleum tankers.
Others are; 379 of General Merchandise Goods, Hard Drugs and Narcotics (40 parcels of Cannabis Sativa) and 2 used vehicles.
The seized Cannabis sativa and suspects were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.
The duty paid value for items seized is N326, 272, 794. 00 only.
In the area of revenue generation, Compt Bomodi said the command has surpassed its yearly target of N1.9billion target with collection of N3billion.
He said “The target for the Command for the year 2023 is N1,966,000,000.00. As of the end of October 2023, the Command has collected N3,050, 100, 912.28.
“The revenue figure collected exceeded the allotted target of N1,966,000,000 by N1,084,100,912.28 only, which represents a 55.1% increase”
“Under Export, the Command facilitated a total of 41,867.88 Metric Tons involving One Thousand, Forty-Eight Trucks of export products, with Free On Board (FOB) of N8,299,767,340.57 only.
“The Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) paid was N41,504, 608.45 only.
“The surcharge paid for the period under review was N40,531,580.00”
Compt Bomodi noted that the successes recorded could be attributed to strategies adopted by the leadership of the Command to checkmate revenue loopholes, in partnership with our other stakeholders to ensure compliance.
“Let me appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs for his support to the Command and also appreciate the Seme Badagry Community for their cooperation and to officers and men of the Command for their gallantry and patriotism” he said
