Apapa Customs Boosts Export Trade With Over 110,000 Metric Tonnes Of Cargo
By Jerry Aguigbo
The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Command has boosted Nigeria’s Export trade in agricultural and other raw materials with a tonnage of
110,448 metric tonnes.
In the Command’s first quarter Media briefing held in Apapa today, the Area Controller, Compt. Auwal Mohammed disclosed that the command processed agricultural goods such as sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus, mineral resources, steel ingot and others with a total tonnage of 110,448 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023. Statistics from the export report shows that the exported goods are worth N70,200,829,358.67 which is equivalent to Free on Board (FOB) value of $159,845,232.84.
On the Command’s revenue drive, he revealed that the command recorded a total collection of N212,592,680,700.99, spanning January-March 2023.
However, the command recorded a lot of breakthroughs in its Anti – smuggling war,
having resolved to enforce government’s fiscal policies and extant laws to ensure that all import and export consignments transiting through Apapa Port are duly examined.
Also the Command’s ability to track these infractions has been strengthened through effective collaboration and timely sharing of credible intelligence with sister government agencies in the port.
Within the period under review, the command made seizures of 14 containers comprising of prohibited items such as: vegetable oil, footwears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value of N22,099,618,111.00.
“It is pertinent to mention that on Friday, 31 March 2023, we uncovered a large quantity of 225mg of tramadol tablets concealed in 2x40ft container numbers TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where 143,800,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3 tonnes (10,386kg) that originated from India.”
This single seizure according to Compt. Mohammed, is valued at N21,600,000,000.00.
“We are on the look-out for those behind such unlawful importation for arrest and very soon we will track them down to face the full wrath of the law. As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty to prevent this kind of importation from entering the market to safeguard the health of the citizenry, he explained.
He therefore warned perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) and other extant laws, that Apapa Command will only facilitate legitimate trade.
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