Date: 2019-11-06

The Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, says it generated the sum of N1.27 billion within three months of creation.

This was contained in a statement issued by Chado Zakari, the Public Relations Officer of the command on Tuesday, in Ilorin.

Zakari attributed the feat to the strategic policies and plans put in place by the command to bring all the excise factories within its jurisdiction under effective control by forcing them to comply with the extant laws.

He said that the command generated N980,652 in August, N697,810 in September and N572,116 in October.

Zakari added that the command had been able to make changes through strict adherence to its driving wheel.

"This has led to an increased level of compliance by stakeholders, as the controller is determined to make the command a haven for legitimate trade facilitation.

"In our desirous efforts to key into the Federal Government's policy on agricultural development, particularly in the area of boosting local rice production, we have made our territories unfavourable smugglers of rice and other prohibited items.

"The area controller urged all Nigerians to embrace the Federal Government's policy on production of agricultural produce with particular reference to rice for both home consumption and export for self-reliance.

"The controller will also like to use this opportunity to reiterate that the command has resolved to rid its area of jurisdiction of all prohibited goods," Zakari said.

He added that the command was complimenting the efforts of Operation Ex-Swift Response Team, codenamed 'Border Drill'

"This has led to seizures of foreign rice, petroleum products and a large quantity of mosquito coils, with duty paid value (DPV) of N25,403,500.

"The seizures were made around Okuta, Ogundele, Ilorin express road, Jebba-Mokwa express road, Maigida-Arogaji road, Ilorin and Chikanda axis of the state respectively.

"The area comptroller, Ahmed Bello, wants to make this clear to economic saboteurs that the ban on importation of rice, used vehicles, vegetable oil, second-hand clothing, used tires and other dangerous drugs such as Tramadol through the land borders, is still in place.

"The Kwara command is committed to enforcing this to the later," he said.

Zakari expressed appreciation to Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) for equipping the command with brand new patrol vehicles and other logistics needed to make its operations more effective and efficient.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the management of NCS had recently created additional eight commands to enhance administrative convenience, boost revenue generation and ensure coverage of the nation's land borders.