Date: 2020-05-13

The Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday said it generated N1.69 billion in three months.

The figure was released in a statement signed by Mr Zakari Chado, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Area Command, and made available to newsmen in Ilorin.

Chado said that the command had been uncompromising on its mandate of enforcing legitimate trade and trade facilitation among local industries.

He also said that the command had encouraged stakeholders to make prompt payment of import and excise duties to the federation account.

"The Kwara Area Command under the leadership of Comptroller Ahmed Bello generated the sum of N1, 696, 018, 694 at the end of first quarter, despite the lull occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic," he said in the statement.

The spokesman further said that the amount generated represented 21 percent of the command's annual target of N8,038, 000, 000.

"The breakdown of the amount generated monthly is January - N1, 006, 901, 647, February – N332, 272, 223 and March - N365, 844, 823, which sum up to N1, 696, 018, 694.

"Comptroller Ahmed is also vigorously pursuing the Comptroller General of Customs' zero tolerance for duty evasion and smuggling

"He has been reviving proficiency with regards to identifying and blocking all possible avenues of revenue leakages and enhancing capacity building in the areas of modern customs operation," he said.

He added that the comptroller had been reinforcing the commitment of officers and men in the discharge of their statutory responsibilities and ensuring disciplinary actions were taken against erring personnel.

Chado also stated that there would be continuous sensitisation of stakeholders on the need to comply with extant laws governing customs and excise activities.