John Atte, Acting Customs Boss Raises Revenue Target To N35bn Weekly

Dr John Atte, acting Comptroller-general (CGC) of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has ordered Customs Area Comptrollers to increase the weekly average revenue target from the current N13 billion to N35 billion. If achieved, the service will generate no less than N1.6 trillion annually.

Atte, from Bayelsa State, took over the leadership of NCS on Tuesday following the voluntary retirement of the former CGC Abdulahi Dikko, after serving for six years.

Atte was until now the deputy comptroller general (DCG) in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Service (FATS) and his directive on revenue collection was part of decisions taken during a strategy session of the customs management and customs area comptrollers in Abuja on Thursday.

The session he presided over was convened to discuss various areas of revenue leakages and put in place measures to plug them. To this end, the acting CGC directed the immediate setting up of anti-corruption seats in all area commands to monitor officers’ conduct and report to the office accordingly.

With regard to anti-smuggling activities, while the Federal Operations Units (FOUs) were directed to intensify their border patrols to bring smugglers to book, Atte ordered an immediate review of operational procedures to give maximum effect to the ban on all hinterland patrols in the country.

Similarly, “All task forces under any name or guise operating in all seaports, airports, and land borders were disbanded with immediate effect. Officers serving in these adhoc units were to be withdrawn and redeployed immediately,” a statement by the Public Relations Officer of Customs, Wale Adeniyi, said Thursday.

The meeting further directed area comptrollers to take full control of their areas even as the acting CGC stressed that they will be held responsible for staff conduct and discipline in their jurisdictions.

…Customs boss seeks traditional rulers’ support to fight smuggling in Sokoto
Mr Mohammed Kabir, the Area Comptroller of Customs Service in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara on Friday appealed to traditional rulers to join in the fight against smugglers in the area.

Kabir told NAN in Sokoto that the commands were ready to prevent smugglers from ruining genuine businesses in the states.

He said that effective operational guideline to check smuggling activities had been issued to the officers posted to the border areas to ensure the arrest and diligent prosecution of smugglers.

”We will do all that we can to prevent any form of smuggling business because we cannot be intimidated by smugglers.”

He explained that well-coordinated security methods had been adopted to confront smugglers in their nefarious acts.

He called on traditional rulers to properly educate their subjects on the negative effects of smuggling on the national economy.

He observed, with concern that some communities in the frontline border areas were aiding and abetting smugglers.

”We will do all that we can to prevent smuggling business activities and arrest as well as prosecute those behind the illegal business.

He advised the royal fathers in the various border communities to sensitise the people to the need to shun smugglers who approached them for assistance.