South East
Customs Generates N1.74bn Revenue In Owerri
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Owerri says it generated N1.74 billion revenue in first six months of 2017.
It said, it made 91seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.74 billion and underpayment recovery of N225.11 million within the period.
Alhaji Bukar Amajam, the Comptroller of Customs in the zone, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Owerri at a press briefing on the half year report of seizures and revenues of the unit.
Amajam said the zone recorded 10 seizures with a duty paid value of N372.23 million and underpayment recovery of N12.04 million in June.
The figure showed a remarkable increase of N280.36 million over the N91.87 million the zone generated on seizures and underpayment recovery of N10.65 million in May.
Giving a breakdown of seizures in June, Amajam listed the items to include 299 bags of rice worth N84.19 million with the means of conveyance, a Mack Truck with DPV of N8.10 million, and 380 cartons of soap valued at N10.09 million.
Also confiscated in June was a Range Rover Jeep Sport 2017 model with DPV of N37.08 million and 4118 cartons of frozen poultry items worth N83.39 million which were destroyed.
Reports that other seizure were Mercedes Benz G65(AMG) Jeep with DPV of N37.79 million and a 1x40ft container with assorted commodities including 10, 000 pieces of children bags, 303 pieces of suitcase,15 pieces of television, 240 pieces of jewelry all worth N111.57 million.
Amajam said the items were seized because they were in contravention of extant government policies.
He said there were other goods currently in detention, while investigations were still ongoing.
According to him, the various seizures were made mostly by customs patrol units in Benin, Enugu, Onitsha, Eleme, and Mfum areas of the zone.
The unit controller attributed the achievements to the efforts of the Comptroller General of Customs, Retired Col Hameed Ali, and his management team, whom he said, provided necessary support and logistics for them to succeed in their operations.
He said the hard work and creativity of his men and officers as well as the spread of information gathering equally came to play.
He said that 27 smuggling cases were pending in courts, while 20 suspects were arrested, but were granted bail having met bail conditions.
Amajam said that, while the smugglers had kept finding new ways to evade detection, the NCS would keep up with its ingenious and better ways of nipping their activities in the bud.
“Evidence of our commitment can be seen in the quality of seizures and high duty paid value accruable to the government.
“Our work in the zone will continually yield great benefits and results to the nation at large as we improve on our operations to increase revenue generation, security of lives and property and trade facilitation,” he said.
He commended importers and traders that were complying with the customs laws and regulations and urged them not to relent.
The FOU Zone ‘C’ boss urged intending importers and exporters to be familiar with applicable laws and regulations to avoid being on the wrong side of the law.
The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”
The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.