Katsina Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated over N1.132 billion in 2023 fiscal year despite the challenges of banditry and border closure with the neighbouring Niger Republic.

The Command’s Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Umar, disclosed this yesterday while decorating 30 newly promoted officers of the command at the command’s headquarters in Katsina, the Katsina State capital.

He said the N1,132,831,484.75 revenue generated within the period under review was a shortfall from the 2023 revenue target of N1,304,548,912.93 given to the command by the federal government.

“This figure represents about 87.8 per cent of the revenue target issued. It however indicates an improvement in revenue by N299,110,632.35 from N832,946,852.40 revenue generated in the preceding year 2022,” he said.

Umar said the command has also intercepted 369 contrabands, including used vehicles, tyres, second-hand clothing, vegetable oil, foreign parboiled rice, among others, with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N553,339,240.00 in its ongoing anti-smuggling operations.

He added that the command under his watch has made significant progress in fostering synergy with other security agencies in the state for intelligence gathering and improved operations within and outside the border corridors.

He noted that the command has a cordial working relationship with the state government, traditional and religious leaders, border communities and other stakeholders in trade and would continue to facilitate trade without compromising national security.

Umar, however, said out of the 30 newly promoted officers, one of them was promoted from the rank of Deputy Comptroller to the rank of Comptroller, three from the rank of Superintendent of Customs (SC) to Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) and three others from the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC) to Superintendent of Customs (SC).

He further stated that nine of the officers were promoted from Assistant Superintendent of Customs I (ASC I) to DSC, 10 from ASC II to ASC I and four other officers from IC to Assistant Superintendent of Customs II.

He charged the promoted officers to rededicate themselves to work in order to deliver the Service’s constitutional mandates of revenue generation, legitimate trade facilitation, suppression of smuggling and protection of the society.

“You must ensure you behave as responsible officers wherever you find yourselves by giving your uniform the respect it deserves because so many wish to be where you are today,” Umar added.

Culled from ThisDay