Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ makes mind boggling seizures worth over N20.8bn * Recovers over N1.7bn through DN
Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ makes mind boggling seizures worth over N20.8bn
* Recovers over N1.7bn through DN
(By Udeme Clement):
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service has recorded mind boggling seizures of prohibited items worth over N20.8billion in its anti-smuggling operations.
The Unit also recovered a huge sum of N1.7billion through issuance of Demand Notices (DN), on revenue shortfalls for duty payments.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the Unit, DSC Theophilus P. Duniya, made this known through a press statement.
He stressed that FOU Zone ‘A’ under the leadership of Usman B. Yahaya, as the Customs Area Controller (CAC), remains uncompromising in the fight against smuggling, duty evasion and other offences that contravene different sections of the extant laws.
His assertions, “As anti-smuggling Unit, we remain resolute to the course of protecting our national security and economy.
“FOU Zone ‘A’ is a Unit that complements the Area Commands through interventions as part of its mandate; to patrol, intercept suspected smuggled items and access warehouses suspected to be used by smugglers and duty evaders.
“In the course of our operations from January to December 2020, we recovered more than N1.7billion as revenue by identifying shortfalls on duty payments.
The following goods were seized; 31,129 of foreign rice; 11,290 cartons of foreign poultry products; 3,562kg of Indian Hemp; 9,801 kegs of vegetable oil; 560 units of used vehicles and 24,612 pieces of used tyres with total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N20.8 billion.”
Usman Yahaya categorically stated that, no consignment or goods on transit would be unjustifiably delayed for as long as there is compliance with extant guidelines on procedure for import and export clearance.
He reiterates, “We are totally committed to the course of facilitating legitimate trade. This feat is as a result of credible information and intelligence gathering.
“Thus, we are soliciting for timely and credible information from patriotic citizens that would assist us in carrying out our duties with diligence.
“While we remain grateful to our esteemed critical stakeholders and patriotic citizens for their unflinching support, we also appeal to traditional rulers, teachers, religious leaders and parents to urge the youths not to allow themselves be used by economic saboteurs.
“We shall remain determined at enforcing the Federal Government fiscal policies, extant regulations and guidelines on import/export without fear”.