News
‘Customs generated N4.49tr revenue in one year’
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Comptroller -General, Adewale Adeniyi yesterday said the revenue collection of the organization grew by 74per cent to hit N4.49trillion in one year.
Presenting his scorecard of one year in office in Abuja, he recalled the revenue increased from the N2.58trillion recorded in June 2023.
“Revenue collection. The NCS reported a remarkable 74% growth in revenue collection over the past year, recording a total revenue collection of N 4.49 trillion between June 2023 and May 2024, compared to the N2.58 trillion collected during the corresponding period of the previous year,” he said.
Adeniyi noted that the achievement was underpinned by a sustained increase of 70.13per cent in average monthly revenue collection compared to the previous year.
NCS, according to him, recorded an average monthly revenue collection of N343 billion, compared to the N 202 billion monthly average.
He said notably, there was a substantial 122.35per cent rise in revenue collection during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year.
The Customs boss attributed the increase in revenue to various strategic initiatives, including: N 15 billion Recovery by the Revenue Review Performance Recovery exercise.
He also based it on the N 2.79 billion recovered from the 90-day window for the regularisation of the documents of uncustomed vehicles.
Adeniyi added that N 1.5 billion Recovered from the decongestion of 1,705 overtime containers and 981 vehicles from the port was instrumental to the rise in revenue collection.
He noted that “on June 13, 2024, NCS recorded a daily All-Time-High of N 58.5 billion in revenue collection”
He also said the deployment of officers to sensitive posts on the basis of merit and capacity was accountable for the feat.
Adeniyi said in terms of Trade Facilitation, significant achievements have been made, including the decongestion of ports and the reopening of previously inaccessible access roads.
He said the Service’s anti-smuggling efforts in the past year have intensified, resulting in significant interceptions, high-value seizures, and numerous arrests.
He said the Service recorded 63 seizures related to animal and wildlife products valued at ₦566 million.
The Customs boss added that seven seizures of arms and ammunition were made through our ports and borders.
In terms of illicit drugs, Adeniyi said, a combined total of 127 cases involving narcotics and pharmaceutical products were seized, valued at over 6 billion.
He noted that the Service also recorded “724 seizures of 2.93 million litres of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) that were attempted to be smuggled out of the country.
The Customs boss said the illegal dealings in petroleum evacuation have garnered the interest of relevant stakeholders.
He said revealed that the Service has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with strategic trade partners like China Customs and recently is working with the Benin Customs to facilitate the creation of a new joint border post along the Segbana-Tsamia border with the Republic of Benin at Kebbi.
He vowed that Operation Whirlwind will continue to intercept and disrupt the activities of smugglers in this regard.
Adeniyi said more recently, PMS smuggling has emerged as a potential national security threat.
He noted that beyond the funding it provides for smugglers, the deprivation of Nigerians’ access to PMS can cause significant disruptions and exacerbate the hardships faced by many.
He said in a bid to guarantee food security and suppress the smuggling of food in and out of the country, the Service recorded 1,744 cases of rice and grain seizures valued at 4.4 billion.
These concerted efforts, said Adeniyi, underscore the NCS’s commitment to protecting society and ensuring national security.
He said going forward, the measures the NCS has implemented, and the results so far, are well-intended and designed to yield positive benefits for the overall well-being of the nation.
“When the NCS facilitates trade and reduces the costs and encumbrances importers face, it translates to lower costs for importers, which should eventually reflect in price reductions for consumers. “While these gains may experience some lag due to factors beyond our control, such as transportation, infrastructure, and information asymmetry, we remain committed to our role.
“This is why the NCS is also focused on plugging leakages and improving revenue collection to support the funding of the government’s objectives and initiatives to build and upgrade infrastructure and invest in other essential schemes, including social welfare,” he added.
He said Customs mandate to protect society should be seen in the context of mitigating the damaging effects of illicit substances like codeine and cannabis indica on the productive youth of Nigeria.
He added that similarly, intercepting the entry of arms and ammunition is crucial in preventing the worsening of our national security situation.
Unchecked smuggling of prohibited items, said Adeniyi, not only fuels illegal activities but also strengthens unscrupulous individuals who seek to destabilize the peace, security, and prosperity of the country.
The Customs boss said the performance report is not oblivious of the challenges that Nigerians face and reassured that with the support of the Minster of Finance, NCS is working in close collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria to achieve a stable exchange rate rate for import of goods to enable business plan activities.
He vowed that NCS will continue to work with relevant national and international agencies to share intelligence and develop structured frameworks to ensure that those seeking to disrupt the peace and stability of the nation do not go unpunished.
On food inflation, the Comptroller -General pledged that the Service will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that business of food hoarders is unprofitable.
On Compliance with Customs Laws, according to him, the Service constantly reviewing its processes in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2024 to ensure that leakages are blocked and offenders of Customs laws are made to face the full penalty and the wrath of the law. He said NCS is engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure that the deliverable of the customs modernisations are met as the Service continues to phase out manual processes with automation
On Trade Agreements, Adeniyi said NCS is working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the implementation of trade agreements like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) yields the desired benefits to Nigerians.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Mixed reactions as fans torn different directions following the announcement of the nominees for the 67th Recording Academy Awards, popularly known as the Grammys.
Some Nigerian artistes featured on the list, including Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Asake, Tems, Rema, and Lojay.
The nominations for the Best African Music Performance include Yemi Alade’s ‘Tomorrow,’ Asake and Wizkid’s ‘MMS,’ and Burna Boy’s ‘Higher.’ Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay’s ‘Sensational’ and Tems’ ‘Love Me Jeje’ also made the category.
Rema’s ‘Heis’ and Tems’ ‘Born in the Wild’ were nominated under the Best Global Music Album. Tems tops the list as____the Nigerian artiste with the highest number of nominations for the 67th Grammy Award, with an additional nomination for ‘Burning’ under the Best RB Song category.
Taking to social media, fans whose support for the various artists have been divided, debated how each of their favourites deserve the award.
Abiritomi said, “They’re all very good artistes so may the best person win.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
. Lekki software engineer, Chadian, others nabbed over tons of illicit drugs seized in Lagos, FCT, Taraba, Kwara, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Ondo
After months of intelligence gathering and painstaking surveillance, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have smashed two major cross-border drug trafficking syndicates with cocaine and opioids worth billions of naira recovered from them while six leaders of the cartels were arrested in different parts of the country.
The syndicates, which comprise Nigerians based in Mubi, Adamawa state; Onitsha, Anambra state, and Lagos state as well as Cameroonians came under NDLEA radar after they were suspected of being major suppliers of drugs to terror groups operating in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Leaders of the syndicates so far arrested include: Ibrahim Bawuro, Najib Ibrahim, Ibrahim Umar, Nelson Udechukwu Anayo, Ezeh Amaechi Martin and Adejumo Elijah Ishola.
Intelligence gathered revealed that some psychoactive substances including tramadol were often sourced by Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib from a notorious drug dealer in Onitsha: Nelson Udechukwu Anayo and thereafter packed and concealed in vehicles in the premises of Ezeh Amaechi Martin, an associate of Udechukwu.
The duo of Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib will thereafter transport the drugs from Onitsha to Yola and subsequently to other parts of the North and Cameroon in specially constructed false compartments of vehicles, which travel from the East to the North at night. On 7th October 2024, Bawuro and Najib were trailed from Onitsha where they had gone to buy another consignment and eventually arrested in Taraba the following day 8th October while a total of 276,500 pills of tramadol were recovered from a Toyota Avensis saloon car marked DKA 57 TT, which they abandoned on the Jalingo-Yola expressway when they noticed NDLEA operatives were on their trail.
Follow up operations were subsequently carried out in Delta and Anambra states where Ezeh Amaechi Martin and Udechukwu Nelson Anayo were arrested by operatives of the NDLEA Directorate of Intelligence, which coordinated the whole effort with their counterparts in Taraba, Adamawa, Delta and Anambra.
Another leader of a different syndicate, Adejumo Elijah Ishola, 37, was arrested by operatives of a special operation unit of the Agency on Tuesday 5th November at Seme border in Lagos on his way from Ghana with 3.3 kilograms of cocaine and 600grams of synthetic cannabis. This followed months of intelligence and surveillance on his cross-border criminal activities.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Apapa seaport Lagos on Wednesday 6th November intercepted Thirty-One Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (31,750,000) pills of 240mg Voltron, a controlled opioid, packaged and concealed in a container imported from India, as diclofenac sodium 100mg tablets.
The discovery was made during a joint examination of the container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, import shed Ikeja Lagos, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 5th November intercepted a 700grams consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis.
A software engineer, Olu Marshal who showed up to collect the package was promptly arrested and a follow up search of his home in Lekki led to the recovery of some drug paraphernalia, including a cannabis crusher.
Attempt by another suspect, Orji Ogbonna Nnaorji to send 32.50kg bottles of codeine syrup and 5.70kg cannabis to London, UK, concealed in tiger nuts cargo through the export shed of the Lagos airport was frustrated by NDLEA operatives on Friday 8th November.
A follow up operation led to the arrest of Orji at his warehouse in Ajao estate, Lagos.
In Kwara state, not less than 162,800 pills of opioids were seized by NDLEA operatives from four suspects during interdiction operations in parts of the state.
While 112,200 tablets of tramadol were recovered from Wahab Alao Saliu, 18,900 tablets of same opioid were recovered from Dalha Musa both at Eiyenkorin area of Ilorin; 29,000 pills of tramadol, 200 ampoules of diazepam and 99 bottles of codeine syrup seized from Ahmed Isiaka, just as 2,500 tabs of tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba, both at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of the state on Friday 8th November.
In Abuja, NDLEA operatives in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday 7th November intercepted a truck along Abaji- Kwali road with 755.50kg cannabis concealed under empty cartons of noodles.
The truck driver, Lukman Rasheed, 41, claimed that bags of the psychoactive substance were loaded into the trailer in Ogbese, Ondo state after departing Lagos with only empty cartons of noodles.
A suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, 43, was arrested by operatives on Monday 4th November at Ibi, Taraba state while conveying to Kano 361 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 156.95kg in a commercial bus marked WKR 772 XA. Not less than 245 blocks of same substance with a total weight of 121kg were recovered by NDLEA officers on patrol along Wukari – Ibi road on Thursday 7th November.
Two suspects: Hamza Yakubu, 30, and Abdulra’uf Danjuma, 23, were on Wednesday 6th November arrested at Gidan Manjagab area of Jos, Plateau state with 113 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 141kg, while a Chadian, Hassan Muhammad Ali, 31, was nabbed on Tuesday 5th November at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria-Kano road, Kano, with 3,000 pills of tramadol 225mg.
While a suspect Ibrahim Adamu was arrested at Jere area of Kaduna state with 35 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 338.8 kilograms, NDLEA operatives in Edo state on Friday 8th November recovered 1,078kg cannabis at Okhuokhuo – Isi forest and 228kg of same substance at Sabo- Auchi.
In Ondo state, four suspects: Friday Daniel, Patrick Felix, Samuel Agada and Igwe Chukwuka were arrested at Emure Ile with 672kg cannabis sativa, while 513kg of same substance was seized at Gbodo camp, Ikun Akoko and a total of 4, 908kg cannabis recovered from a suspect Musibau Kosama at Alabi Yellow, Ijoka area of Akure on Wednesday 6th November.
Across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.
Instances include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Park Royal College, Apapa Lagos; Government Secondary School, Atu, Cross River; Ladigbolu Grammar School 2, Oyo, Oyo state; Iman Secondary School, Arkilla, Sokoto; Rosary Girls College, Nise, Anambra; Havilah Gold Secondary School, Odomola, Epe, Lagos state; while the Edo State command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to HRM Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II, among others.
While commending the officers and men of DI, SIU, Apapa, MMIA, FCT, Taraba, Kwara, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, and Ondo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Dollar to Naira Exchange Rate Today on the Black Market (Aboki Dollar Rate)
As of Saturday, November 9, 2024, the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar to the Nigerian naira in the Lagos parallel market (often referred to as the black market) shows that the buying rate for a dollar is N1740, while the selling rate stands at N1745, according to sources at Bureau De Change (BDC).
It’s important to note that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) does not officially recognize the parallel market for foreign exchange transactions. In line with this, the CBN has advised individuals and businesses looking to exchange foreign currencies to approach authorized banks and financial institutions for their Forex needs.
Dollar to Naira Black Market Exchange Rates Today:
Buying Rate: N1740
Selling Rate: N1745
Official Dollar to Naira Exchange Rates (CBN Rates) Today:
Buying Rate: N1664
Selling Rate: N1665
Please keep in mind that the exchange rates listed here are subject to fluctuation and may differ from those in actual transactions, as rates can vary depending on the location and the specific forex market you engage with. Always ensure that you check the current rates with authorized sources before making any exchange
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