The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area 2 Command, Onne, Rivers State, has announced a record revenue generation of N643 billion for 2024, surpassing its annual target of N618 billion by N25 billion.
This achievement represents 103% of the year’s revenue goal and marks a significant milestone in the command’s operational history.
The Area Controller, Mr. Muhammed Babandede, disclosed this at a news briefing in Onne on Tuesday, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area 2 Command, Onne, Rivers, says it exceeded its revenue target for 2024 by generating N643 billion during the year.
“The Area Controller, Mr Muhammed Babandede, who disclosed this at a news briefing in Onne on Tuesday, said that the command had a revenue target of N618 billion for 2024,” the NAN report read in part.
He highlighted that the 2024 revenue exceeded the 2023 target by a staggering N321 billion, demonstrating the command’s commitment to excellence in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling operations.
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Babandede attributed the success to enhanced revenue collection strategies, increased export activities, and strengthened anti-smuggling campaigns. He explained that the command had confiscated a total of 76 containers with a duty-paid value exceeding N150 billion.
These confiscations included arms, ammunition, illicit medicines, vegetable oil, footwear, donkey skin, and used clothes.
”During the year, the command confiscated a total of 76 containers with duty paid value of more than N150 billion.
” The seizure comprised of arms, ammunition, illicit medicines, vegetable oil, foot wares, donkey skin, used cloths among others,” he said.
The command’s efforts in curbing smuggling earned it recognition as the best-performing command in anti-smuggling operations. Babandede expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for the award, describing it as a morale booster for the command’s officers.
- Significant confiscations during the year included one million bottles of cough syrup, 500,000 bottles of extra diclofenac, and sanitary wares used to conceal illicit drugs.
- Additionally, a recent seizure of 12 containers with a duty-paid value of over N20 million contributed to the total revenue.
He disclosed that Onne Command also recorded notable achievements in agro-commodity and solid mineral exports. Items such as aluminum ingots, granular urea, orange peels, sesame seeds, and wheat bran generated over N1 billion in export revenue. Babandede emphasized the command’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while maintaining transparency and effective service delivery.
