Abba Kura Bows Out Of Apapa Command With Outstanding Performance. By Anne Ejuka

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has had many controllers since inception each leaving a mark to be remembered for but one thing remarkable is that most of them are elevated to the next rank of Assistant Comptroller General.

The most recent is the Compt. Mohammed Abba Kura who not only performed in the area of revenue generation but also in the provision of Infrastructure within the command for effective operation and wellbeing of men and officers for optimal performance.

This can be said to be the reason of the command’s performance in the year 2020 as the command despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world which affected businesses adversely recorded sum of Five hundred and eighteen billion, Forty-six million, Eight hundred and thirty-two thousand, Sixteen naira Eighty-four kobo (N518,046,832,016.84) as against the sum of N423.6 billion that was generated in the year 2019 showing a difference of Ninety-four
billion, three hundred and seventy-nine million Eight hundred and thirty-five thousand, Three hundred
and fifty-two nairas and Fifty-three
kobo (N94,379,835,352.53)
indicating an increase of 22.3%.

According to the release made available by the command’s Image Maker, Abubakar Usman, the command, in the area of anti-smuggling and inline with the provision of extant circulars; trade guidelines and enforcement of government fiscal policy measures, the Command strengthened her anti-smuggling operation against economics saboteurs, the command a total of three hundred and eighteen (318) seizures with duty paid value of twenty-one billion, One hundred and ninety-six million, Eight hundred and six thousand, Six hundred and thirty-seven Naira (N21,196,806,637.00). These figures almost tripled the total seizures for the year 2019 which is to with total duty paid value of N12.5 billion.

Some of the seized items include: 133 containers of unregistered pharmaceuticals including tramadol
●58 containers of parboiled rice
●30 containers of vegetable oil
●31containers of used clothes and shoes
●13 containers of used tyres, and other sundry items.

The Command also performed remarkably well in that area of export as the export unit also witnessed a boost in its an activity, From Two hundred and sixty-two thousand and ninety-five metric ton (262,095) in 2019 to one million, three hundred and eleven thousand, three hundred and sixty-five
(1,311,365) metric tons in 2020 with the free Onboard (FOB) value for the exported items
equally moved up from $132,760,512.94 million US dollars to$340,884,102.99
million within the period under review. Items exported include
steel bars agricultural and mineral products.

These unprecedented achievements according to the CAC of the command were made by possible as a result of continuous support and encouragement of the Controller General of the service Colonel Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his management team and the doggedness and tireless commitment of officers and men to their duties and the command bold initiatives to ensure the collection of appropriate revenue by creating an enabling environment for legitimate businesses to thrive.

As what can be described as a parting gift to the command, a refurbished gym and well-equipped clinic were last week commissioned for the use of officers and men of the command by Abba Kura who will be leaving for the Customs Headquarters as the Acting ACG.