10th November, 2015
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday said it generated over N747 billion as revenue between and January and October, 2015.
Comptroller-General of the service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), made this known while addressing officers and men at Illela border post in Sokoto state as part of his two-day visit to formations in Sokoto/Zamfara/ Kebbi Area Command.
“The target given to the service by the Federal Government is N944 billion and we can meet it or surpass it.
“We cannot meet it unless we can generate N100 billion monthly.
“If all the leakages are blocked and everybody does the right thing, the service can generate over N1.2 trillion during the year,” he said.
Ali stressed the need for the officers and men to uphold discipline, integrity, honesty and transparency.
He underscored the need to shore up the revenue base of the service to enable the Federal Government to effectively meet the needs of Nigerians.
He charged officers and men of the service at land borders to do more to stop the importation of small arms. “These arms can be used by insurgents, armed robbers and kidnappers to cause a breach of the security of lives and property of law-abiding Nigerians.
“The change we voted for and we are still basking in its euphoria should be achieved through our attitudes and not by mouth.
“The residents of the border communities should also know that smuggling is a punishable offence and not just a way of life,” the customs boss said.
He commended the border communities in Nigeria and Niger Republic for the existing cordial relationship between both countries.
He also hailed existing mutual inter-agency cooperation between the customs and other paramilitary agencies at the border post.