The Controller, Kwara State Command of the Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) Mr. Najeem Akanmu Ogundeji at the weekend said that,
the illegal influx of foreign food products through porous borders into the country has continued to undermines Federal Government policies aimed at boosting local agricultural production, protecting domestic investments, and safeguarding our local value chain.
Ogundeji stated this in Ilorin at a press conference on the activities of the command in the last six months.
He said, “I must address an important narrative regarding our interception of food items. The seizure of food products should not be misinterpreted as an opposition by the Nigeria Customs Service to legitimate food availability for Nigerians.
“Rather, our mandate is to enforce compliance with the laws governing cross-border trade.
“When goods are moved through unapproved routes, bypass regulatory checks, or lack proper documentation, the Service is legally mandated to intervene.
“The illegal influx of foreign food products through porous borders undermines Federal Government policies aimed at boosting local agricultural production, protecting domestic investment and safeguarding our local value chain.
“Our enforcement actions ensure that compliant, legitimate traders are not priced out by economic saboteurs who bypass established protocols for unlawful gain”.
On the revenue generation in the last of.six months in the command, Mr. Ogundeji said that, “Excise activities continue to serve as our primary revenue driver.
“During the period under review, the Command generated a total revenue of ₦7,978,338,031.21 (Seven Billion, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand, Thirty-One Naira, Twenty-One Kobo).
“This milestone demonstrates our commitment to maximizing revenue for the Federal Government while maintaining a balanced operational focus on trade facilitation and national security”.
The Controller used the occasion to call on the members of the public , border communities, traditional leaders, and commercial transporters to treat border security as a shared responsibility.
He therefore urged them to provide timely, credible intelligence remains vital to safeguarding our economic landscape.
Hammed Shittu
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