The Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service says it collected the sum of N574.3 billion as revenue from January to December 2022.
Controller of the command, Comptroller Adekunle Oloyede, who disclosed this at a media briefing to showcase the performance of the command in Lagos on Friday 27th January 2023, said the figure represents a 16.33% increase when compared to 2021’s revenue.
He attributed the revenue increase to the constant rejigging of the existing measures geared towards sustaining the Command’s revenue profile as well as the utilization of some disruptive strategic measures.
The measures, according to him, include periodic capacity building, reshuffling and redeployment of officers using the SWOT analysis, implementation of the VIN Valuation, automation of the 546 procedure, and re-introduction of the NIIT after deployment of a Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology Equipment to the Command.
Others are Proper Profiling, System Audit, Proper recheck or Examination and detailed but imputed Inspection Acts.
“The Command collected a total of N574,290,210,599.38 between January to December 2022. This figure when compared to the 493,682,369,264.35 collected in 2021 indicated an increase of N80,607,841,335.03,” he said.
Comptroller Oloyede added that continuous stakeholder engagements and collaboration with all sister government agencies also enabled the command to sniff out improper declarations and offending items as seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N41.8 billion were intercepted within the review period.
On the number of suspects arrested so far, he disclosed that a total of 60 suspects were detained within the review period and were granted administrative bail while the Command has eight cases pending in court.
Giving a breakdown of the seized items, he said they comprise 763pkgs of Colorado (Cannabis Sativa) weighing 345.1kg with a street market value of 714,600,000.00 as given by the NDLEA, 5 x 40 containers of used Motor Tyre (5050 pistes), 1,150 bales of second-hand clothing, 1,190 cartons of 20per cartons of Potassium Bromate and Baking Powder, 11,392 Cartons of 1200 per Carton Armcol Injection Chiproquine Phosphate 322.5mg/5ml (IV and IM), and 206,000 pieces of finished machetes.
Other items are 1383 cartons of 50 rolls per carton of cigarettes, 650 cartons of 50 pieces per carton of New Ladies Shoes, 2.666 pieces in 36 pallets of New Starter Ex-Premium Inverter Battery, 1980 cartons of Assorted Non-Alcoholic beverages and 1048 Cartons of Tilde Basmati Rice.
Also on the list are 2594 pieces of ammunition and 20 pieces of arms comprising 1 Pistol with 611090 (S/W) model JCP 40mm, 1 Used Co2 Air Pistol with accessories cal 117(4.5m) BM, 1 Marksman repeater pistol, & Mace pepper gun and 10 suspected arms of various types.
Comptroller Oloyede said the seizure record when compared with the 2021 record of 27 seizures with a DN of 607,267,617.00) shows an increase of 11 seizures and one N1.2 billion.
According to him, the increase in DPV rate could be associated with increased surveillance and intensified anti-smuggling drive, the high value of seized items and the naira-dollar depreciation which leads to high exchange rates on imported items.
He explained that cocoa beans were the highest exported commodity while Legend Stout was the least exported commodity.
While expressing appreciation to officers of the command for their contributions to the successes achieved in the out-gone year, the Comptroller appealed to officers and men of the Command to continue to work as a team to achieve greater heights in 2023.