The Comptroller in Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr Ben Oramalugo, on Friday, said the command generated N18 billion as revenue between July and August 23.
The Area Controller made the disclosure at a press briefing held at the command headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo, on Friday.
This was just as he said that the area command intercepted 2,448 wraps and 11 sachets of cannabis sativa worth N148.9 million along Ilero axis of Oyo.
Dr Oramalugo revealed that after the area command officials intercepted the cannabis sativa, they found the wraps concealed under 200 sacks of sawdust in a DAF truck.
He also spoke on other contraband goods intercepted between June 14 and August 29, which included 753 kegs and 94 drums of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) valued at N27,894,900 million; 2,183 (50kg) bags of foreign parboiled rice worth N192.104 million; used tyres worth N254,839,500 million and 24 bales of used clothing valued at N17.28 million.
Others were two used DAF trucks valued at N50.8 million; a used pickup truck worth N7.7 million and a used Mazda 626 car valued at N3.6 million.
He stated that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashiru Adeniyi, had given the approval for the cannabis to be handed over to the state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, as well as the auction of the drums and kegs of petrol due to its inflammable nature.
Saying that the seizures represented a significant blow to smugglers and a win for lawful trade and economic stability, the Comptroller emphasised that the recorded achievements were a result of strategic intelligence gathering, increased patrols, and the dedication of command officers to their duties.
He noted that the proactive measures taken by the anti-smuggling teams in the command not only prevented illegitimate trading activities but also protected communities from dangers posed by the illicit goods.
On revenue generation, Dr Oramalugi said that N13,311,191,473.12 billion was collected in June and July, while he put that of August 1 to 23 at N4,767,776,312.37 billion, both totalling N18,078,967,686.49 billion.
When added to N30,664,247,938.15 billion generated between January and May, the revenue for the eight months of the year totalled N48,743,215,625.64 billion.
Reviewing the activities of the command, the Comptroller expressed delight at the remarkable success achieved in revenue collection despite the prevailing economic challenges that were determinant in decision-making by stakeholders within its coverage.
He said: “As we move forward, the Oyo/Osun Area Command remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and service in all of our operations.
“We will continue to leverage technology and innovative practices in line with the new NCS Act of 2023 to further enhance our operations and deliver on our mandate.”
He handed over the intercepted cannabis sativa to the Assistant Commander of Narcotics in charge of operations from the state command of the NDLEA, Terry Wokomo.
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