Inside Watch Africa was recently at the press briefing during which Apapa Area command reel out the scorecard of the command’s half year’s activities (Jan-Jun 2022), in the areas of Import/Export trade, Anti-smuggling operations and Trade facilitation.
Going by the scorecard it may be safe to say that the Command has consistently strived to stay true to its core mandates of revenue generation, prevention and suppression of smuggling, Trade facilitation, and implementation of government fiscal policies as well as its collaboration and cooperation with other government agencies to ensure ease of doing business in the port.
The scorecard showed that the command had collected revenue up to the tune of N522.4 billion which is a significant increase of N156 billion, a 42.5% increase in revenue collection when compared to the amount collected in the corresponding months in the year 2021.
In the area of Anti-Smuggling, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, said that their anti-smuggling operation is guided by the Federal Government Import and Export prohibition lists, as well as other government fiscal policies as directed. He said guided by these extant laws that during the period under review the command was able to seize 83 containers with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N8.3 billion. Items that were seized include: containers of Processed/Unprocessed wood (32), Unregistered pharmaceuticals (5), Used clothing /shoes (18), Foreign parboiled rice (12), Vegetable oil (7), Tomato Paste (3) and 1x20ft container laden with 150 cartons of tramadol. 21 suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizures.
Furthermore, a suspect who is currently undergoing interrogation/investigation was arrested alongside the seizure of a 1x20ft container of tramadol that was recently made by the command.
To further strengthen the existing relationship between relevant government agencies in the port, the command recently handed over 2x20ft containers No. SUDU 7774749 and UETU2798479 were laden with 150 cartons of illicit hard drugs to the NDLEA.
The Controller then concluded the press briefing by extending his gratitude to the CGC and his Management team for their unrelenting support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and synergy, Officers, and men of Apapa Command for their tireless commitment, compliant stakeholders, and the media for their unalloyed support.