Nigerian Customs Service: Kwara State Command Generates N5.9bn in 5 Months
Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin.
The Area Comptroller of the Kwara State Command of the Nigerian Customs Service, Comptroller Kehinde Ilesanmi, says the Command generated over five billion naira (N5, 992,300,562.73) between June 2023 and October 2023.
Ilesanmi disclosed this in Ilorin, the state capital, while addressing news reporters.
“The amount generated within the period under review surpasses what was generated same period last year 2022 with N307,517,623,49.
“The Command under the same period recorded 15 seizures, which included 352 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, and 1,875 litres of petroleum (25 litres each in 75 jerrycans),” the area comptroller revealed.
Customs Service Collaborates with the Nigerian Police
Ilesanmi said three suspects were arrested during the period under review while the duty paid value (DPV) of the seizure was N11,149,636.00.
The comptroller paraded and handed over to some policemen, from the Lagos Police Command, two suspects arrested in connection with two stolen vehicles.
The Customs boss said that their intervention was in furtherance of the synergy that had been in place between the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian Police Force.
“The Customs and the Police have traditional responsibilities of coexisting and collaborating. Whenever they see any infraction that seems to affect each other, they make arrest and hand over to the appropriate authority.
“It will be recalled that the Kwara Command land border is still under lock and key for movement of vehicles and other commercial activities.
“On Wednesday, 14th June 2023 at about 17:05hrs, which is 5:05 p.m, the Command intercepted one 2010 model Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep with Chassis Number JIEBXFJOAKOO7069 and Reg. No. EPE-911- HH at Chikanda border post in Baruten local government area of the state.
“During the course of investigation, it was discovered that the registration number of the said vehicle belonged to a Toyota Hiace Bus. This was what heightened the curiosity of our officers, and the vehicle was detained.
“In what looked like a drama, on Sunday, the 16th of July 2023, exactly 30 days after, at about 14:30hrs, which is 2:30 p.m, our officers yet again intercepted one used Toyota Hiace Bus with Chassis Number TRH200155105 in Chikanda, heading towards Benin Republic.
“Surprisingly, the same registration number EPE-911- HH, which the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep earlier intercepted had, was displayed as the registration number.
“After preliminary investigation by our enforcement and legal unit, it was established that the two vehicles were stolen.
“In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration, the approval of the Comptroller General of Customs was sought and received to hand over the two vehicles to the Nigerian Police Force for continuation of investigation.
“In order to carry out directives of the Comptroller General of Customs and for all our friends in the media to be part of history, we decided to invite the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, where the offence was committed, for the handing over and takeover of the vehicles.
“We warn smugglers to steer clear of Kwara. Our officers have continued to dominate our AoR with aggressive patrols to deny smugglers freedom of action,” he stated.
Ilesanmi praised the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and his management team for giving the Kwara Command additional four patrol vehicles which, he said, would assist the Command to achieve great results.
The Customs boss restated that the ban, through the land borders, on importation of foreign rice, used vehicles, vegetable oil, second hand clothes, used tyres, and other dangerous drugs such as marijuana, and tramadol “is still in place, and the Nigerian Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, is committed to enforcing this without compromise.”
