The Area 2 Command, Onne Port, Rivers State of Nigeria Customs Service has recorded an impressive huge revenue generation of N190.5bn and seized goods valued at over N10.2bn in the first quarter (January-March 2025).
A total of “N190, 569,212,397.42 was collected as revenue during the period as against a total of N162, 705,313,561.48 collected in 2024. This shows a remarkable improvement with a difference of N27, 864,668,442.61; which represents a 17.12% increase against the first quarter of 2024.”
Speaking at the Command, in Port Harcourt on April 16,
the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede lamented over the illegal activities of some unscrupulous importers which impact negatively on the citizenry and economy. The controller pledged that those criminals will be dealt with according to the extant laws.
In Comptroller Babandede’s words: “The Service ensures compliance with Customs laws and government policies on international trade. It is important to know that importing illicit drugs and other prohibited wares into the country can have serious consequences for both the public and society. Illegal activity is criminal and remains punishable under the Nigeria Customs extant laws, with the legal consequence of being punishable with either a fine or imprisonment, or both.”
He said that a total of 20 containers were seized between January and March 2025 namely;
1 X 40ft Container TLLU6901759 STC 158,400 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100mls each) and 11,690 pieces of Chilly Cutter;
1 X 40ft Container MRKU 2117319 STC 158,400 bottles of Barcadin with Codeine Syrup (100ml each) and 240 pieces of Local Sanitary Wares;
2 X 40ft Containers MRKU4875853 & TCNU2623453 STC 271,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each), 85,000 bottles of CSMIX with Codeine (100ml), 1,200 pieces of Cock and 94 cartons of sanitary wares and 21 cartons of TBS rubber;
4 X 20ft containers PCIU0094329, PCIU1014858, PCIU1367243, & PCIU00229679 STC 64,416 X (400mg each) tins of Soupy Tomato Paste, 16,104 X (200mg each) tins of Soupy Tomato Paste.
1 X 40ft Container MEDU7751984 STC with 280 bales of used clothes and 2 cartons of I toys; 6 X 20ft Containers MEDU6909397, TGBU3174254, CAIU6719204, TTNU1932358, GLDU5050514 & MEDU2120820 STC 6,300 X (25litres each). Jerry cans of Delicieux Cooking Oil, 2 X 20ft Containers GLDU3216822 & MEDU1266507 STC 2,100 Jerry cans of Super Gold Vegetable Cooking Oil (25ltrs each)
1 X 40ft TCKU7701615 STC 980,000 tablets of Tamol-X, 4,830,000 Capsules of Pregabalin (300mg each) and 288 cartons of WC
1X 40ft container MSMU5925355 STC 320 bales of used clothes
1 X 40ft container TCKU 6160305 STC 360 bales of used clothing, 2 bags of personal effects and 1 box of personal effects.”
“These seizures are products of courage, bravery, high level of integrity, and the self-determined posture of the officers to be patriotic to their oath of allegiance; the cumulative duty paid value (DPV) of the seized goods presented is worth N10, 293,677,040.00)”.
On export, the controller said that the Command exported 1.274, 695MTS comprising of mostly agricultural products and solid minerals. The total products exported stood at a value of N2,345,268,122.
Comptroller Babandede hinted that the Nigeria Customs Service is making significant strides in trade facilitation through its modernization project. “We trained stakeholders on the B’odogwu Unified Information Management System in order to understand the modality of its operation for efficiency in the clearing procedure and better revenue collection,” he said
Commenting on Donkey Skin, he said, “In our continued effort to collaborate with all agencies of government for better results in service delivery, I am handing over a 1x20ft Container found to contain donkey skin meant for export to the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service.”
Comptroller Babandede expressed his profound gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and members of his management team for providing the enabling environment to work successively. He also commended officers and men of the Command for their support, teamwork and dedication towards achieving these great feats.
Reacting, some associations’ stakeholders who spoke to journalists; National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) the former chairman, Hon. Ike Okechukwu Anselem and the Chairman of Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Mr. Kolawole Atanda, Onne chapter, in their separate opinion, unanimously thanked Comptroller Babandede for the achievements made within the period under review, stressing the importance of compliance to facilitate trade.
Hon. Ike Anselem added that NAGAFF has been in the forefront, fighting illegalities at ports and therefore appealed to agents to follow due process while carrying out their legitimate business at ports.