Customs Acquires Helicopters To Combat Smuggling

The Nigeria Customs Service says it has taken delivery of two helicopters, 400 units of Toyota Hilux vehicles and 5,000 AK 47 rifles to combat smuggling and illegal movement of small arms into the country.

The Comptroller-General of the Customs Service, Alhaji Mohammed Dikko, made this known to State House Correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday.

He reiterated the determination and commitment of the Customs to the security of the nation’s borders to check the proliferation of illegal materials.

Dikko assured that the Nigeria Customs would exceed its targeted internal revenue for this year from N800 billion to N1.2 trillion.

“Well, I have been given a target and I assure Nigerians that the target is going to be met. The target is N800 billion, but I push my target to N1.2 trillion.

“So, I made a provision of additional N400 billion extra to give them- the Nigerian people, so that they can be happy.”

On the recently inaugurated Customs training school in Gwagwalada, Dikko said that the college had since started full academic activities with middle and high cadre officers from foreign countries.

“It is a staff college; that means it is for middle and high cadre officers and I want to assure that the school is occupied up till December.

“American Embassy has indicated its interest to train not only Customs but other agencies, so also are the German Embassy and the World Customs Organisation.

“That school is fully occupied; it’s the new bride of educational facilities in Nigeria.”

The comptroller-general also assured that the college would continue to serve as centre of excellence in the training of relevant manpower for the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies, worldwide.