By Asuquo Nuwak
The Customs Area Controller of Seme Customs Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, mni, and the Co-Chairman of Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, handed over the leadership of Seme Area command, to Comptroller Timinadi Bomodi, who was the former Customs Area Controller of Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Area Command.
During the handing over of the leadership of Seme Command to the incoming Comptroller, he disclosed that Seme Area Command, is the seat of the Seme-Krate Joint Border Post, the formost frontier for trade in West and Central Africa Area Command, and one of the busiest boundary lines in Africa.
In his media welcome address on the occasion of hand over of the leadership of Seme Area Command, he said upon his assumption of duty on 23 January 2023, he pledged to adopt a new strategies to boost trade, while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor (ALCO) in line with the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.
Similarly, upon his assumption of duty, he also promised along with the officers and men of the Command to encourage compliant traders along the corridor bearing in mind the challenges of the JBP, as one that is still recovering from the effects of the border closure. He added that the command have kept faith with what they have promised.
His words: “It is gratifying to mention notable impacts made by the Command in the key performance indicators, which are revenue collection, anti-smuggling operations and trade facilitation”.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi, hinted that the revenue target for the Command for the year 2023 is N1,966, 000.000, adding that as at Friday 15th September 2023, the Command has collected a total sum of N2, 088, 578, 048. 03 as revenue.
He said, by implication, the Command have surpassed the N1, 966, 000. 000 alloted target for the year 2023 by N122, 578, 048. 03 only, which represent 6.23% increase. A report has shown that in the corresponding period under review for the year 2022, the Command collected a total revenue of N885, 543, 098.11only.
Addressing Journalists and other stakeholders in Seme, during the handing over ceremony, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, attributed this outstanding performance in revenue collection to the painstaking efforts made the leadership of Seme Area Command in partnership with the stakeholders to ensure compliance with the revenue generation agenda.
In the area of anti-smuggling operations, he said Journalists and other stakeholders are already conversant with the past headlines seizures of fake six million US dollars equivalent to two billion, seven hundred hundred million (N2.7b)
Speaking further on the occasion of hand over ceremony, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, mni, said: “The Command has made significant impact in anti-smuggling activities which has led to seizures of notable items between January and August 2023.
The breakdown of the notable seized items include 9500 50kg bags of rice, equivalent to 16 trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice with Duty Paid Value )DPV) of N312, 242, 064. 93k; 15.094 x 30 litters Jerrycan of Premium Motor Spirit, equivalent to 455, 850 litters or 15 petroleum tankers with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N738, 276, 46k; 15, 389 of general merchandise goods.
Further breakdown of revenue seizures include 594 parcels of cannabis sativa; 4,900 tablets 225mg of tramadol tamol-x; 3,600 tablets 225mg tramadol royal 225; 157 tablets of Heineken Ecstacy and 864 packs of cigarette.
Once again, a report has shown that the duty paid value for the total items seized for the period of January to 8th September 2023 is N1, 827, 362, 619 .00
In the area of exportation of goods, the outgoing Customs Area Controller of Seme Area Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, said the command during the period under review, has facilitated 146, 400.93 metric tonnes of export produce , with Free On Board (FOB) value of N16, 525, 360, 391.45 billion.
While the NESS value paid is N82, 630, 798 .34 with 489 SGDs utilised from January to August 2023.
In the words of Comptroller Dera Nnadi: “In line with our agenda of encouraging our officers and men of the Command to give their best in the line of duty, we have written letters to the Headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service, requesting that some of our men who made the command proud by making some of our highly celebrated seizures. Like the seizures of fake $6,000, 000 currency, 15 fake international passports, 10 drivers license and donkey skin in January 2023 should be commended. By the special grace of God, they have all been commended by Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR dsm fnipr psc (+). The commendation letters and Congratulatory letters were handed over to them in our last press briefing”.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi, however, informed the Journalists and other stakeholders during the handing over ceremony, that when he resumed in Seme Area Command, due to the long time of the border closure, some of the Command’s facilities at the ECOWAS Joint Border Post and the Command’s barracks have started decaying.
In the words of Comptroller Dera Nnadi: “In our modest efforts, we have revived some of them, like the floor light at the ECOWAS JBP, renovations of our offices, rebranding of the Command’s Medical Center and the installation of lights in all the senior officer’s quarters among others.
He appreciated the Comptroller-General of Customs, for his support to the Command. He also appreciated the Seme Badagry Community, for their gallantry and patriotism.
In conclusion, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, extended his greatest appreciation to the media, for highlighting the modest effort of Seme Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, while he requested that, the cooperation and support given to him should be extended to his successor.