NIGERIAN Customs Service is collecting between N5 billion and N7 billion from duties on imported goods daily, Coordinator, Joint Border Operations Drill, North Central states, Comptroller Mohammed Garba, has said.
He said daily accrual of the service before commencement of the joint operation in August last year was about N4.5, saying the increased revenue was made possible because many illegal border routes were blocked. He said the fight against smuggling and illegal importation was intensified to encourage local agricultural production and development.
The custom chief spoke on Thursday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital during parade of seized goods and items.
Garba, who is also the Area Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Border, revealed that no fewer than 204 illegal migrants were repatriated during the period under review.
Those affected included 99 Nigeriens,100 Beniniose, three Malians, and two Chinese.
The joint border drill, consists of security agencies such as the Immigration, Police, Army, Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Customs and Department of State Service (DSS).
