Apapa Customs  Nets N210.2bn in 7months as Compt. Bashir Takes Over from Jibrin

By Innocent Orok

 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa flagship Command  has collected a total of  N210,260,123,203.7 billion revenue, including N343.4 million from exports activities between January to July 2018 as against N196,701,774,277.7 billion collected in the  same period of 2017.

Briefing Journalists, Comptroller Jibrin Musa, outgoing Area Controller of the Apapa Command made this known today  while handing over to Comptroller Abubakar Bashir  who was redeployed from the Onne Customs Command as  the new Controller  in charge of the Command.

Jibrin who attributed the success recorded by the command during his tenure to the introduction of the Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II) and good leadership by the Comptroller General of Customs,  Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd)  together with the cooperation of the  Officers and Men of the command said  the revenue target for 2018 stands at N246.61 billion.

He added that the dedication of the officers and men of the command contributed to the success of the command in generating the revenue.

“The significance of this unrivalled attainment will be appreciated when compared with what the command generated in 2017 in the months under review, which was N196.7billion.

There was an increase of N13.5 billion in revenue when compared with what was generated in 2017.

The command also recorded nine seizures within the period under review such as pharmaceutical products, vegetable oil and other contraband  goods’  he said.

On enforcement and anti smuggling activities Jibrin said 13 containers of Tramadol were imported in contravention of approved guidelines and procedures.

The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures was put at  N357 million, while the 13 containers of tramadol will be handed over to the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for necessary investigation.

Also, during the same period, exportations recorded in the command was put at 343,471 tones with  Free On Board (FOB) value of  N57,666,837,493.90.

Again Jubrin said all the achievements were due to the Federal Government’s effort at diversifying the Nigerian economy through encouragement of non-oil exports.

According to him,  the command had over the years, engaged the best traditional communication tools to acquaint stakeholders with the activities of  Customs.

He added that the command usually had constant engagement with stakeholders, and also received high level delegations from different government agencies as well as nationals of foreign countries and members of different strategic private committees.

He urged officers and men of the command as well as the media to give the new Controller the support  he had enjoyed from them to enable him achieve the mandate of suppressing smuggling and generating revenue for the government.

In his brief  response, the incoming controller,  Comptroller  Abubakar Bashir, who describe Jibrin  as his senior colleague and brother commends his predecessor for his dedication and urged the officers in the command to continue working in harmony and be guided by the rules of the service.  He urged them to support him to fit into the big shoe his predecessor has left for him.

Comptroller Abubakar Bashir is a very thorough and intelligent officer who has served in various commands of the Service. He was redeployed from the Onne port to Apapa port in the recently movement of Comptrollers in the NCS.