By Omenihu Alfred fibmn
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday revealed that it has generated over N1 trillion naira between January and June of this year 2021. This represented an increase of N290. 20 billion compared to the N713.54 billion it recorded within same period last year.
The Customs Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Joseph Attah, while addressing journalists, said “hitting the trillion-naira mark within six months is indeed unprecedented in the service”.
According to Attah, the feat was achieved through the resolute pursuit of “what is right and willingness to adapt to changes brought about by the global health challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the service revenue profile had continued to be on the increase due to on-going reforms which exploited the potentials of technology.
Attah added emphatically that the service will always be willing and happy to break its records and to generate more revenue above the art target under a favourable environment. On its enforcement drive, the PRO said the service effected, a total number of 2,333 assorted seizures with duty paid value of N4.42 billion.
The items were listed to include arms and ammunition, illicit drugs and food items such as rice, vegetable oil among others, which could have had grave consequences on national security and economy. Still on its enforcement duties, he disclosed that a total of 58 aircraft owners had complied with its directive to provide the documents of their jets for verification by the service.
He said given the level of compliance which he described as encouraging, the deadline for the verification process had been further extended by 14 days.
