The Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has announced that it generated N127,364,100 as revenue in April 2023. This was made possible through the timely response of its men and officers, receiving intelligence reports from individuals and other sources. Mr. Ben Oramalugo, the Command’s Customs Area Controller announced this while speaking with Journalists at a media briefing held in Birnin-Kebbi.
The Command also recovered contraband worth N71,287,056 from smugglers between 15th April and 15th May 2023. He said that shortly after receiving an intelligence report about prohibited items on Sunday, 14th May 2023, the officers detailed to secure the routes intercepted 17 shipments through stop and search. In particular, a truck loaded with donkey skins and meat was intercepted along Bunza-Kamba Axis.
Mr. Oramalugo decried the attack on some of the officers conveying the seized items to the Command by unscrupulous elements from the Village of Bunza. The windshield of two patrol vehicles owned by the Command was broken by the perpetrators, forcing the officers to retreat. The Army was called in to support the officers in their operation. The truck and its content were whisked away to the surrounding bushes by the mob but were later found at different locations and subsequently brought to the Command headquarters for further investigation after reinforcement arrived.
The Comptroller stated that all individuals involved in the attack would be discovered and duly prosecuted according to the law.
He further stated that the Federal Government has empowered the Service to confiscate goods about to be exported if it violates any law, such as the illegal trade of endangered species such as donkeys and pangolins, among others. The Command, during the period under review, managed to seize a Volvo truck fully loaded with 212 big-sized sacks and 202 small-sized sacks of donkey meat/skins and four used vehicles made up of 2 Toyota Camry 2013, 2 used Honda Jazz 2005 and 55 bales of second-hand clothes. Other items seized included 4,925 litres of petroleum, 13 bags of foreign parboiled rice, and five kegs of vegetable oil. Two vehicles, a blue Volvo truck and a Toyota Corolla also served as means of conveyance for the confiscated contraband.
Mr. Oramalugo concluded by stating that the Command has consistently managed to record a boost in its core mandate of revenue generation as of April 2023. Such successes have been achieved largely due to the men and officers of the Command’s constant vigilance and intelligence gathering.
