The Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, carried out the hand-over activities while addressing journalists on the Command’s activities in the first quarter of 2023.

“Upon my resumption, I pledged to adopt 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”

“I promised to encourage compliant traders along the corridor while enforcing the law against inflexible offenders who will wish to test our resolve”

In line with keeping to these promise the Command has in the first quarter of 2023 facilitated the movement of ETLS: 425 Trucks with fees amounting to N314, 720, 938.71, 412 baggage declarations with duty amounting to N58, 844,382. The items imported under this arrangement include food products and beverages produced within the sub-region.

For export, 1,243 trucks bearing 40,096.47 metric tons of made in Nigeria cargo declared on 165 Single Administrative Documents (SAD) with Free On Board value of N4, 291,322,887.19 kobo and National Export Supervision Scheme Fes of N21, 456,551.83K.

During the same period in 2022, 3006 trucks bearing 116,053.9 metric tons of cargo with FOB value of N6, 597, 506, 993.28K with NESS Fee of N32, 989,006.16 was recorded.

Regrettably there is a shortfall in export to the tune of 75,000 metric tons of cargo due to competition between Dangote Cement and competitors in the cement market at Togo.

Other source of revenue for the Command are fees collected from the auction sales of seized items especially petroleum products and other perishable items.

To this end, the Command generated a total of Three Hundred and Fifty Million, Ninety-Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty-One Niara Seventy-One Kobo (N350, 099,541.71) in the first quarter of 2023.

The above is One Hundred and Five Million, Ninety-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eight Niara Seventy-Six Kobo (N105,095,708.76) or 23.09 percent short of Four Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, One Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Naira Forty-Seven Kobo (N455,195,250,.47) collected in the corresponding period in 2022.

The deficit could be attributed to lull in activities during the cashless policy and the wait by the traders for the outcome of the general election. Also recall that I had earlier informed you that the economic policy of the Republic of Benin who charge fees on goods in transit to Nigeria constitute tariff barriers to trade along the corridor. These affected the Commands revenue and need urgent review.

One of the core mandates of the Service in Seme as elsewhere is trade facilitation. The Command is conscious of its strategic location as the foremost frontier for trade and tourism in West and Central Africa particularly the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the emerging African Continental Free Tade Area (AfCFTA).

Nigeria has lots of potentials in both trade regimes considering its GDP, population and industrial capacity which is the highest in the West and Central Africa subregion and indeed Africa.

However, I wish to repeat as I had earlier mentioned in my previous interactions with the media that the major source of revenue of the Command (import/export) have not been enhanced since the opening of the land Borders as directed by the Federal Government of Nigeria as the traders are still bracing with the challenges of having been out of business for over two years.

Where few have embraced the reality of the circumstances, they have requested and appealed for a review of the process of obtaining approvals for re-exportation which requires that they go to Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning at Abuja for every application for re-exportation.

“Realising that a secured border will translate to more revenue even at the sea ports, Seme Command in the first quarter of 2023 has recorded milestones in its anti-smuggling operations.
Some of the anti-smuggling landmarks by the Command include the seizure of fake $6m (Six Million) USD (equivalent of N2.763 Billion at exchange rate of N460.52 ) which will be handed over to the EFCC today” Nnadi said.

Also seized in the first quarter is 2, 242 bags of 50kg rice equivalent to 112,100 kg or four trailer loads of foreign par boiled with Duty Paid Value of N72, 700, 480.

Others are: 7, 587 by 30 liters of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent of 227,610 liters or Seven Tanker loads of PMS with duty paid value of N51, 075, 684, 550 pieces of donkey skin with duty paid value of N10, 689,504.

Also seized are Six (6) Maltese International Passports with the same picture of a lady but bearing different names, Two (2) Senegalese International Passports, Three (3) Togolese International Passports, Four (4) Republic of Benin International Passports, One (1) Republic of Niger International Passport and Ten (10) International Driving License of these various countries which will be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service on the orders of the CGC and in line with the Service desire to consolidate the synergy between NCS and partner agencies.

Also seized by the Command is 1160 pieces of dead rats, 1102 pieces of dead tiny birds and 34 pieces of monkey skin and 14 parcels of cannabis sativa.

These achievements (progress) so far, were not made on a platter of gold. It took the painstaking efforts of the officers who spend hours on patrol and surveillance to record the seizures. We wish to reiterate that we will not relent on this effort and for this reason, the officers are being commended.

The Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.

For this we are once more calling on stakeholders in the Seme Krake Corridor and beyond to prepare to embrace AfCFTA while consolidating on the gains ETLS.

I thank our stakeholders for their support. It is gratifying to note that we are all on the same page on the need to improve on our relationship with a view to maximize the opportunities offered the proximity of the State to the border and develop trade in Lagos State.

He said: “”Let me at this interval, appreciate the collaborative efforts of other sister agencies in the fight against smuggling and appeal for their continuous support. It is important to note that activities embarked upon by the Command is a patriotic duty in the interest of national security and economic wellbeing of Nigeria.

NCS operatives in observance of the rules of engagement will continue to carry out its legitimate duties as prescribed by the law.

The area controller further expressed

his deep appreciation to the CGC and management of Customs, officers and men of the Command, community leaders and partner government agencies who are showing concern and are collaborating with the Service for their continuous support.

“We also thank and appreciate the Press for being objective in reporting the challenges faced by Officers while executing their duty.