Borders closure: Customs generates N115bn in September

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it generated N115 billion in September, the highest so far since the closure of the country’s borders.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retired) disclosed this when he received the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole in Abuja on Thursday.

Ali explained that since the closure of the borders, the revenue being generated by the service was increasing on daily basis.

He said that there was never a time NCS generated the revenue or much money like it realised in September.

Ali said the measures taken had compelled those who used to smuggle things into the country to go to the ports and pay necessary duties.

According to him, the aim is to ensure that the closure is sustained up till January 2020.

Ali said the main objective of the border closure was to ensure that neighbouring countries complied with the ECOWAS protocols on transit.

He explained that the protocol on transit mandated customs in the neighbouring countries to escort items coming to Nigeria to the borders so the importers would not evade payment of duties.

The customs boss added that the closure of the borders had helped to reduce the incessant attacks by bandits.

He said that this measure had helped in curtailing the influx of arms and ammunition into the country.

According to him, the step taken by the joint border security operatives headed by NCS has also reduced the importation of some illicit drugs into the country.