Officers of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted live ammunition, sea cucumbers, donkey genitals and Tramadol worth N5.7 billion at the Lagos airport.
Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Mohammed Yusuf, disclosed this yesterday while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command in the first quarter of 2024.
According to Yusuf, 50 pieces of 9mm live ammunition were discovered in a joint examination conducted by the Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He said the appreciable increase in the commands anti-smuggling drive led to the interception of 1,164 kilogrammes of sea cucumbers, 58 kilogrammes of donkey genitals and 17 packages of Tramadol.
All the seized items, he noted, contravened some of the provisions of extant laws as enshrined in the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCS Act) 2023.
Speaking on revenue collection, Yusuf said, despite challenges, the Command surpassed its records for the first quarter of 2024 with 111.7 per cent increase compared to what was collected the previous year.
He said the command collected N45.2 billion in the period under review, which represents an increase of N23.8 billion compared to the N21.3 billion collected in the same period in 2023.
Yusuf said the command remains resolute at ensuring it collects the much-needed revenue for the Federal Government and also ensure the safety and well-being of citizens through curbing smuggling to its barest minimum while facilitating legitimate import and export trades.
The Controller said the command, has in the area of stakeholder’s engagement, maintained its open-door policy and resolved a lot of issues of common interest with concerned stakeholders.
He thanked critical stakeholders, sister agencies and the media for their collaborative efforts and synergy while carrying out statutory mandate in the state.
Yusuf also thanked the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashiru Adewale Adeniyi and his management team for their continued support as well as officers and men of the command and urged them to remain focused, and steadfast in discharging their assigned responsibilities.
