The Kano//Jigawa Command of Nigeria Customs Service has collected a total of N40,899,853,774.03 as revenue from January to April 2024 which is N28,584,442,644.48 higher than the N12,315,411,129.55 that was collected in the first four months of 2023, showing a 232.10% increase in collection.
Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Dauda Ibrahim Chana while commending the officers of the command for their diligence and commitment in preventing leakage of government revenue, charged them to redouble their efforts to achieve greater results in the coming months of 2024.
Comptroller Chana who has put strategies in place for daily monitoring of officers and weekly evaluation of their performances reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the command achieves maximum revenue collection, consistent suppression of smuggling and improved trade facilitation for compliant traders.
He advised members of the trading communities in Kano and Jigawa states to always abide by the principle of compliance with the law . According to the Controller, compliant traders make more profit by saving time and cost of doing business without facing the risks of getting their wares seized for smuggling of prohibited items.
He added that the command is on top of its game to uncover any unlawful acts like concealment and under-declaration made with intent to evade duty payments
Giving a month by month breakdown of the revenue collection achieved as at April 2024, he said the command has consistently maintained more than double of its 2023 monthly figures to arrive at the more than 200% increase.
He said in January 2024, the command collected N8,874,326,494.41 which surpassed the N3,055,731,779.26 collected in January 2023. In February this year, it collected N9,835,874,774.80 which was about triple of the N3,017,501,437.05 made same period of 2023.
According to Comptroller Chana, the command highest monthly collection for this year was recorded in March when it collected N11,532,013,983.95 surpassing the N3,496,840,573.39 collected in March last year while in April 2024, the command collected N10,657,638,520.87 which surpassed N2,745,337,339.85 generated in April last year.
On anti-smuggling, the Area Controller consistently meets with operators of excise factories, transporters, free zone stakeholders and other members of the organised private sector to keep them abreast of the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023 urging them not to violate any section of the statute.
Following the zero tolerance for smuggling directive of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Area Controller has intensified round the clock customs anti smuggling patrols covering the two states under his area of responsibility for improved economic protection and enhanced national security.
Some of the seizures made this year include 2 trucks and 2 Peugeot J5 vehicles; 90 bags of basmati rice;80 cartons of spaghetti, macaroni and couscous; 154 bales and 4 sacks of second hand clothing; 102 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice; 504 cartons of foreign non diary creamer; 5479 units of soaps, detergents and toiletries; 8 malaria test kits and other items.
Comptroller Chana advised youths and other law abiding citizens in Kano and Jigawa states to support the fight against smuggling by volunteering useful information that can lead to arrests of smugglers and seizure of their wares.
He reiterated that the Kano/Jigawa command will continue to partner with law abiding citizens and organisations towards sustaining the legitimate productivity and commercial activities the area is noted for while also ensuring that smugglers are intercepted and arrested to face prosecution with their wares seized in accordance with the law.
