Adeniyi Olugbemi

The Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs contributed two billion, three hundred and twenty nine million, seven hundred and sixty five thousand nine hundred and six naira seventy six three kobo (₦2,329,765,906.73.00), to the ₦2.24 trillion raked into the federation coffers in 2021.

The anti-smuggling unit of the command also, made a total of twenty two seizures of assorted items with a total duty paid value of over one hundred and eighty eight million five hundred and eighty three thousand three hundred and sixty eight naira (₦188,583,368.00).

Also, three suspects arrested by the command are currently under administrative bail.

ASCI Tahir Balarabe, the Command Public Relations Officer, in a press statement said, the ₦2,329,765,906.73.00, is the highest revenue collected so far by the Command compared to previous years.

According to the statement, the Area Controller, Comptroller Abdulhameed Ma’aji, credited the successes of the command to the leadership provided by Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali.

Comptroller Ma’aji said, “the effort of the Comptroller-General and that of the management of the Nigeria Customs Service elicited resilience and commitment of the Officers and men of the Command who have been exercising their duties in line with extant laws and regulations of the Service.

“Part of the successes of the command was the first formal documented export value chain of Onion through the Illela border on the 25th of February, 2021 which has significantly enhanced Onion production in Sokoto and contributed to the foreign reserve of the country.”

Ma’aji further appreciated the Nigeria Customs’ top management’s logistical support, as well as the cooperation of other Service units such as the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Customs Police Unit (CPU), Border Drill, Strike Force, and Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’ (FOU ‘B’), as well as other Security Agencies and stakeholders in the actualization of these records.