The Oyo/Osun Customs Area Command reported significant achievements on Wednesday, revealing that it has seized contraband goods valued at N755.8 million and generated a total of N23.9 billion in revenue from August to October 2023.
During a press briefing in Ibadan, Area Controller Dr. Ben Oramalugo highlighted that the N23.9 billion figure marked a remarkable 27.5% increase compared to the N17.3 billion collected in the same period last year.
The seized items during this period included 433 bags of 50kg foreign rice, 49 sacks of cannabis sativa, 93 used tires, and 8,850 liters of petrol. Additionally, the command confiscated a variety of fake pharmaceuticals, comprising 46 cartons of Analgin injections, 68 sacks of 500mg Amoxicillin capsules, 13 packets of pentazocine 30mg, and 10 sacks of Artemether tablets, among other illicit goods.
Cumulatively, from January to September 2024, the command has generated N56.6 billion, reflecting a 7.85% increase compared to N52.2 billion during the same period in 2023.
Oramalugo emphasized the command’s commitment to ensuring that all revenue due to the government is collected effectively, despite challenging economic conditions in Nigeria. He reiterated the importance of enforcement, compliance, and monitoring in achieving efficient revenue collection.
The controller reaffirmed the command’s twin objectives of revenue generation and combating smuggling and other illicit activities that pose risks to the economy. He noted that recent efforts have resulted in the seizure of fake pharmaceuticals for the second time in 2023, reinforcing the command’s determination to tackle the trade in illicit drugs.
Dr. Oramalugo credited the successes to the dedicated efforts of the command’s personnel and received support from the Customs Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, who recently provided two new Hilux vehicles and additional equipment to enhance their operations.
At the event, the controller handed over seized fake pharmaceuticals worth N596.8 million in Duty Paid Value (DPV) to Mrs. Roseline Ajayi, the Southwest Director of NAFDAC, and 49 sacks of cannabis sativa, valued at N46.9 million DPV, to NDLEA official Abogunrin Olatunji.
