Customs Comptroller Dera Nnadi justifies posting to Tin Can Island Port, as Command under his watch generates 575.5 billion naira in six months

By Afolabi Oyekunle.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tincan Island Port Command (TIPC) has generated N575.5 billion revenue in the first half of the year.

The Customs Area Controller, TIPC, Comptroller Dera Nnadi said this today at a media conference held at the Maritime Reporter Association of Nigeria (MARAN) secretariat in Apapa, Lagos.

According to Nnadi, this is an improvement by N315.24 billion and represents a 221.13 per cent increase from the half year report in 2023 which had N260.26 billion.

Comptroller Nnadi addressing newsmen today. 

He said as at today, July 12, the command has generated N627 billion out of   a target of N1.403 trillion. "This shows that significant efforts have been made in the command in meeting the target."

``TCIP operations in the last six months significantly aligned with the statutory functions of the Service in the areas of revenue generation, trade facilitation and enforcement/anti-smuggling activities".

The command’s operations were performed in consciousness of the theme of the 2024 International Customs Day, ‘‘Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose'.

``The command further enhanced the existing operational process to conform to the malady of the floating exchange rate regime with the use of technology made available by the NICIS II Software,'' he said.

On enforcement, Nnadi noted that the command coordinated several 100 per cent physical examination under his supervision in collaboration with critical stakeholders to ensure that the command was freed of any form of non-compliance to the international trade cycle. 

``Items discovered as concealments and seized during the period under review are one RZ17HD - 20P9964 - rifle, one RZ17HD - 20P9962 – rifle, one GAMO – T660739 – rifle, one pump action – MV0830249 – rifle, one RZ17TACTICAL – 30H21PT011992 – rifle, one RZ17HD – 20P9929 – rifle, one pump action – MV0830253 – rifle.

``Others  are one pump action – MV0830839 – rifle, one RZ17HD – 20P10115 – rifle, one pump action – V1690019 – rifle, one pump action – 52-H21PT – 3803 – rifle, one  RZ17HD – 20P9951 – rifle, one SAR9 SARSILMARZ T1102-21BV63826 – pistol, one RUGER AMERICAN PISTOL 9MM.

``Others listed: one SAR9 SARSILMARZ T1102-21BU51078 – pistol, one TAURUS G3C – BAIN BRIDGE, GA ADA 799424 – pistol, one TAURUS G3C – BAIN BRIDGE, GA ADC 122309 – pistol, one TAURUS G3C – BAIN BRIDGE, GA ADB 941276 – pistol.

``Also intercepted are one used Toyota Corolla Chassis Number: 5YFBURH1EP09601: 2014 model, Sterling High Quality shot gun cartridges green (12 cal 32 grams – 10packs of 25 pieces each), Sterling High Quality shot gun cartridges green (12 cal 30 grams – 20packs of 25 pieces each and 23 extra pieces).

``Included in the list are Seller & Bellot  Buck Shot – 55 pieces, Crossman Co2 12 gram cartridges – 123 pieces, 1USP CO2 Air Gun Pistol with Accessories Cal. 117 (4.5mm) BB, units of Mace Pepper Gun, to Department of State Services (DSS) for further agency function,'' he said.

He said that during the period under review three plastic drums were intercepted concealed with several packets of Cannabis Indica, 46 bags containing 2,144 packets of cannabis indica all weighing 1,072kg seized from 1x40ft Container No. GAOU 669921/5 imported from Canada.

``The approximate street value of   the illicit substances is N3.216 billion.

``Also, 877 cartons of Barcadin cough syrup with codeine - 200 bottles of 100ml per carton and 82 cartons of Really Extra Diclofenac Sodium 50mg tablets – 600 packs per carton imported from India was seized. 

``The approximate street value of the cough syrup is N964.33 million,'' he said.