Oyo/Osun Customs Records N71.3bn Revenue In 2023

By Asuquo Nuwak

Oyo/Osun Customs Records N71.3bn Revenue In 2023

The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of Comptroller Ben Oramalugo, generated a total sum of N71.29bn in 2023.

The Customs Area Controller, Dr Ben Oramalugo, who disclosed this during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan on Friday, said his men would leverage on the planned technological integration of the Nigeria Customs Service for 2024, to double up revenue generation and trade facilitation in the area.

Analysing his command’s revenue and seizures for 2023, Oramalugo said during the period covering November and December 2023, the command collected the sum of ₦5 bn and N7.2 bn respectively into the Federation and Non-Federation accounts. When added to the sum of ₦59 bn collected for the period of January to October 2023, the cumulative sum of ₦71.29 billion was collected by the area command for the fiscal year of 2023.

He said during the year 2023, the Command fought aggressively against smuggling, seizing contrabands and smuggled goods with total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N484.7 million.

According to the controller: “some of the contrabands and other goods confiscated by the Command include vehicles, bales of used cloths, foreign parboiled rice, premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly known as fuel, cannabis sativa (Indian Hemp) and used tyres among other prohibited items”.

Comptrollers Ben Oramalugo, who noted the challenges faced by officers of his command in their everyday encounter with dangerous and desperate smugglers in the border towns, also said that the successes recorded so far were made possible owing to resolve of Command officers and men to work tirelessly, while religiously enforcing provisions of our new extant laws (NCS ACT 2023) aimed at facilitating legitimate trade and ensuring that customs duties and taxes were collected efficiently.

In his words: “Our commitment to combating smuggling activities remained unwavering in 2023 and during the period under review, the Oyo/Osun Area Command has intensified efforts to curb illicit trade, safeguard national security and protect local industries from unfair competition”.

The Controller said: “With the use of Co-ordinated Border Management, Intelligence-driven Risk Management and continuous Patrol/Enforcement Operations, we conducted numerous successful patrol operations that led to the interception and seizure of many contraband goods.”

He disclosed the seizures made for the year 2023 and those made so far in 2024 to comprise 88 sacks and 349 wraps of Cannabis Sativa with a DPV of ₦47.85 million, 100,900 litres equivalent to (4,036 Kegs) of PMS with a DPV of ₦18.2 million, 9,595 (50kg) bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice with a DPV of ₦181.9 million and 35 units of used vehicles with a DPV of ₦134.2 million.

Further breakdown of the seizures include 177 bales and 13 sacks of second-hand clothing with a DPV of ₦53.64 million, 3,702 pieces of used tyres with a DPV of ₦11.2 million, and 100 pieces of uncut timber with a DPV of N7.7 million.

Comptroller Oramalugo, attributed the milestone recorded by the Command to timely sharing of credible intelligence and synergy between all Units of the Nigeria Customs Service resident with Oyo/Osun State.

He noted that: “It is also important to note the collaborative effort of sister security agencies such as the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, NDLEA, Oyo State Operation Burst and Amotekun Corps which are highly appreciated “.

He further appreciated the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde and the efforts of all traditional rulers, local government chairmen and key stakeholders in both Oyo and Osun states, who have continued to enlighten their people about the negative effect of smuggling to our economy.

In conclusion, Comptroller Oramalugo said: “We would like to implore them to continue the great work, while assuring them that the Service and the Command will leave no stone unturned to ensure smuggling is suppressed to the barest minimum”.