Seme Customs hands over 444 parcels of cannabis Sativa, generates N743m, boosts export in one month

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Seme Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service revealed that it has intercepted several prohibited items which includes 444 Parcels of Cannabis Sativa, generated N743,728,652 : 16 k revenue as well as facilitated export trade worth 28, 395,293 metric tons all in one month.

In his usual resolve, Oramalugo, has vowed to cause nightmares to smugglers and key into the federal government’s demand for more revenue in the non-oil sector being championed by Controller General of Customs Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, at the foremost Seme border.

Nonetheless, within the three weeks of resumption, Dr. Oramalugo has made seizures worth N267.054 million (duty paid value), a feat that shows the command’s resolve to continue to deliver even under a new leadership.

The seizures comprise 444 parcels of cannabis sativa, 181 packs of tramadol, 600 bottles of codeine syrup (100ml), 240 kegs of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS).

Others are 1,809 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 17 sacks of used shoes, 56 bales of used clothes, and 203 pieces of used tyres that were attempted to be brought into Nigeria through unapproved routes.

Speaking to newsmen while displaying the seizures, Oramalugo said the command’s emphasis will be on unapproved routes where smugglers attempt to bring in what he described as un-customs goods either to evade duty payment or illegally import things on the Federal Government’s import prohibited list.

Oramalugo said the customs under its current Comptroller General, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, will not relent in meeting the Federal Government’s demand for more revenue in the non-oil sector, including customs duty collection.

In the area of trade facilitation, he declared that over 28,395.293 equivalent to 806 trucks of export produce with a Free On Board (FOB) value of 7,852,172,249: 00k only, which is equivalent to N4,995,527,78 USD. While the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) paid was 39,260,861:25k only.

He emphasised that the command will not relent in enforcing maximum collection of all revenue due to the Federal Government through duty collection and seizing contraband goods in line with relevant law establishing the customs and its functions.

In his words, “these seizures, which contravene relevant section of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2003 (NCSA 22) reaffirm our commitment to suppressing smuggling within the Seme Border.”