Kwara Customs generate N10bn in five months, seize contraband 

The Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara State Command, has generated the sum of N10,027,580,694.63 into the coffers of the Federal Government between January and May 2024.

The command, in the period under review, also made 21 seizures of different prohibited items with the total duty paid valued at N35.4m

The Customs Area Controller, Kwara Area Command, Faith  Ojeifo disclosed this in Ilorin, the state capital on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command in the past six months.

The event also featured the donation of relief materials to the state Ministry of Social Development for further distribution to the vulnerable members and the distribution of empowerment items to members of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association.

Ojeifo said that the contraband and prohibited items seized by the Customs personnel included 507 bags of foreign rice, and 1,055 pieces of used tyres, among others.

“I want to inform you that from January to May 2024, we collected and remitted a total sum of N10,027,580,694.63. A comparative review of the preceding year 2023 indicates that the command surpassed what was collected same period last year with N2,885,779,644.03 which represents a 40.41%  increment.

“Within the period under review, I rejigged my operation teams which led to 21 seizures of different prohibited items. These include 507 bags of foreign rice, one unit of a used vehicle, 1,055 pieces of used tyres, and 164 jerry cans of PMS of 25 litres each (4,100 litres). The total duty paid value is N35,416,140.”

The Area Commander said the donation of relief materials to the ministry was a symbol of the shared commitment of the Comptroller-General of Customs to caring for the needy.

On the empowerment of members of COWA, Ojeifo said, “We recognise that women are the pillars of our families, our communities and our economies. They are the ones who nurture, educate and inspire future generations. They take care of our children and home front while we are far away from home doing our jobs of protecting the nation’s border from offensive goods like arms and ammunition, drugs and other illicit goods.

“The empowerment aims to keep you busy, self-dependent and productive while we are far away from home which will no doubt reduce the burden of always waiting on your husbands.”

Ojeifo stated that “after months of extensive training of registered wives and widows of Customs officers in different empowerment training programmes such as baking, cosmetics, sewing, and other skills,” the Service will be “empowering about 67 wives and widows of Customs officers with a sewing machine, baking oven and make-up kits.”