Customs Area 1 @PH rakes over N106bn in six months - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Customs Service Port Harcourt Area 1 Command says it was in high spirit to announce the generation of ₦106.593, 735,469.91 Billion as revenue collected for the first half of 2024,even as it promised to break new grounds in revenue generation.

This was contained in a press release made available to ITREALMS on Thursday 11 July 2024, by the Command's Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Oscar Ivara in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

CA1 Port Harcourt surpasses January target, rakes in N17bn revenue - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Customs Service Area 1 Command Port Harcourt has generated a total sum of N17.065,088,480.16 Naira in the month of January 2024, reports ITREALMS.

This was contained in a press release made available to ITREALMS on Friday by the Command's Public relations officer Superintendent of Customs, Oscar Ivara in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

ISOC study: Nigeria rakes in USD40m from IXPN services - ITREALMS

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The recent study by the Internet Society (ISOC) has rated the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) high, especially for saving the country some United States Dollars (USD) to the tune of 40 million, reports ITREALMS.

As at the time of this report, USD40m is about N31,200,000,000.

Forex scheme 1month after: CBN’s rakes $60m - ITREALMS

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The Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) through its forex programme has raked in some $60 million after one month of active implementation, ITREALMS has gathered.

The Managing Director, Fidelity Bank, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, disclosed this while briefing the media at the end of the Bankers Committee meeting in Abuja.

NNPC rakes ₦43.57bn in trading surplus for April - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has recorded a trading surplus of ₦43.57bn in April 2021, reports ITREALMS.

This, ITREALMS gathered, represents a 23.64 per cent increase over the ₦35.24bn surplus it recorded in the previous month of March 2021.

Intersociety: 'Police is most corrupt agency, rakes N100bn in 40 months using proxy' - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Onitsha-based frontline research-based rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety), has described the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as the most corrupt agency of the federal government, even as the commercial vehicles have become their Automated Teller Machines (ATM) via proxy collectors, reports ITREALMS.

The Anambra State-based Intersociety also said in its latest report that men and officers of the Nigeria Police, military and paramilitary formations raked in about N100 billion from roadblocks in the country’s South-East region in only 40 months: August 2015 – December 2018.

A Special Report released on Monday entitled “Welcome To Southeast Region-Nigeria’s Headquarters Of Official Highway Robbery”, signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Anayo Okoli, Chidinma Udegbunam, Esq., Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esq. and Chinwe Umeche, Esq, the group declared the police under the watch of outgoing IGP Ibrahim Idris as “the most corrupt security organization in Nigeria with chronically incurable corruption indices.”

According Intersociety, Nigeria’s Southeast Region has become the country’s headquarters of official highway robbery with largest number of security roadblocks in the country.

This special report: welcome to Southeast Region-Nigeria’s headquarters of official highway robbery, is originally contained in Intersociety’s just released special report, titled: Under Buhari & Osinbajo: Many Have Gone & Crippled for Life in Eastern Nigeria; an 82-page research report attached with a 62-page photo album of victims of the military massacre operations; perpetrated between August 2015 and September 2017 or a period of two years.

The report: Southeast as Nigeria’s headquarters of official highway robbery also arises from a sub research done by Intersociety to ascertain the economic costs of the military massacre operations in Eastern Nigeria particularly in the Southeast and the Igbo Delta area of Delta State. The economic costs of the Nigerian military massacre operations in Eastern Nigeria was a sub-research done to ascertain the quantifiable costs of the massacre operations and their negative effects on general economy and its activities in the Region, covering August 2015 to December 2018 or a period of 40 months.

The official highway robbery in Southeast Nigeria is targeted at exposing the rabid corruption going on in the country’s security forces particularly the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army as well as paramilitary formations stationed or drafted to the Southeast Roads and others linking the Region with the rest of the country. The research and its findings not only made mockery of the present central Government’s so called “anti corruption crusade” but also exposed the NPF under outgoing IGP Ibrahim Idris as the most corrupt security organization in Nigeria with chronically incurable corruption indices. Police corruption under the outgoing IGP particularly roadblock, station or custody extortion or bribery is promoted has digitally tripled and risen to an apogee.

The outgoing IGP Idris, who has severally been accused of corruption and abuse of office, is one of the loudest noise makers or paper noise makers against corruption in Nigeria, yet he is still seen my most Nigerians as a vicarious promoter of police corruption in the country. Apart from the outgoing IGP reportedly seeking for an illegal tenure extension from the country’s ruling cabal, having been due for legal retirement on 3rd January 2019; he had probated and reprobated on the issue of “police roadblocks in Nigeria” particularly in the Southeast Region.

Lately on 17th December 2018, he ordered for “immediate removal of all police roadblocks in Nigeria to facilitate free movement or flow of traffic during the Christmas season”. According to the Guardian Newspaper report of 17th December 2018, the IGP’s order was “with immediate effect”. The outgoing IGP also warned the newly recruited 6,000 police constables “against engaging in corruption and denting the image of the Nigeria Police Force, which has maintained a zero corruption stance”. According to Punch newspaper report of 22nd December 2018, titled: no place for corruption, indolence in today’s Nigeria Police, IG warns new officers, the outgoing IGP’s warning was given to the newly recruited 6,000 police constables in Nigeria. He specifically gave the anti corruption “warning” in Ibadan, Oyo State in Southwest Nigeria during the passing out of 285 police constables June 2018 intakes that graduated from the Police Training College, Eleyele, Ibadan in Oyo State.

Contradictorily, Intersociety’s research findings contained in this special report have found the NPF under outgoing IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris as Nigeria’s den of official corruption, perpetrated in blue collar patterns. As a matter of fact, the Nigeria Police force is stinking faeces of corruption in the country. Apart from the textual content of this special report, it is also backed with 16 photos and two video clips. The photos were pictured or captured by Intersociety’s field under-covers and other concerned members of the public.

Attached below, with each graphically described, the 16 photos were taken in different locations within Southeast Region including in the cities of Onitsha and Aba with most of them taken in early December 2018. One of the two video clips involves a member of the Mobile Police Force (MPF) caught collecting and pocketing bribe from a commercial motorist on a Southeast Road while the second video involves a young male passenger travelling to Port Harcourt with AGOFERE Motors from the Southeast, shot on his leg and critically wounded by one of the mobile police personnel that mounted a roadblock along Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway in Rivers State.

The passenger was shot following arguments over N50 roadblock extortion. The police officers manning the roadblock including the one that shot and wounded the passenger later converged to take him to hospital. Such is a clear instance of what innocent passengers and commercial motorists and other road users pass through on daily basis in the hands of personnel of the NPF and other security personnel stationed on Southeast Roads. The 16 photos attached below involve police personnel, soldiers and civilian extortionists hired by soldiers; caught in the act or extorting money or collecting bribes from commercial motorists and other road users on Southeast Roads.

The compliance or otherwise of the outgoing IGP’s order for “the removal of all roadblocks across the country” particularly in the Southeast Region and roads linking the Region with the rest of the country was also monitored by Intersociety’s monitoring team and as expected, the IGP’s directive ended up as “a paper directive or order”.

Intersociety’s monitors had crisscrossed several Federal and State roads on Saturday, 22nd December and Sunday, 23rdDecember 2018 and found the IGP’s directive in gross breach. Roads visited included Atani-Ogwuikpere, Onitsha-Owerri and Asaba-Benin Federal Roads as well as Onitsha Niger Bridge end and Upper Iweka/Borrowmeo Roundabout end of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway and couple of State roads. Calls made across Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo States clearly indicated same results or failed compliance with the outgoing IGP’s directive.

At Atani-Ogwuikpere Federal Road and its adjoining Ozubulu Road in Ogbaru, Anambra State, seven police roadblocks were sighted on Saturday, 22nd December 2018. Between Upper Iweka end and Ozubulu end of the Onitsha-Owerri Dual Carriage Way, ten police roadblocks were sighted same date at each of the two lanes making up the Dual Carriage Way. Between Coker Junction in Asaba and the entry point or Asaba end of the Niger Bridge, which is less than one kilometer, five roadblocks (three police roadblocks and two FRSC roadblocks) were sighted.

At each of these roadblocks visited, it is “business as usual”. Vehicles particularly private vehicles were indiscriminately being parked or delayed for several minutes on queue; causing serious gridlock or long traffic jams, before being impounded for silly reasons such as “checking vehicle papers”. Between Asaba Coker Junction and the entry point of the Niger Bridge in Delta State, the personnel of the Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were busy parking vehicles and collecting bribes, causing queue leading to blockage of the Onitsha Premier Brewery and Niger Bridgehead axis of the Onitsha-Enugu Dual Carriage Way particularly the lane leading into Asaba.

Each of the commercial vehicles in the named area is instantly forced by police personnel to part with N50 or N100 notes while private vehicles are indiscriminately parked and impounded for “incomplete vehicle papers or particulars”. For personnel of the FRSC, theirs include collection from each of the commercial vehicle drivers, using hired civilians, of N200 to N500 notes, as case may be, for “overload“. The personnel of the FRSC also impound and book private vehicles with reckless abandon, for “traffic offenses” or not having “complete traffic toolkits” or having “faulty break and trafficator light or signs”.

*Ozo Nweke Ozo in Onitsha with additional report from News Express

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Bond: FG rakes N6.3b in 7-Months

ITRealms:

In the last seven months, the monthly Federal Savings Bond (FGNSB) has attracted N6.3 billion through 

issuance which began in March this year, reports ITRealms.

The N6.3 billion mark, ITRealms gathered, was realised with the FGN Savings Bond (FGNSB) offer for September, 2017. 

The DMO said that Federal Government Securities are the safest of domestic investments because they are backed by the ‘full faith and credit’ of the government. It explained that it began the issuance of the FGNSB in March 2017 with an initial 2-Year Bond Offer and subsequently added a 3-Year Bond from April.

It said the FGNSB was designed to suit the investment preferences of the retail investor and will continue to take investment opportunities to the grassroots.

“Since March 2017, when the Bonds were first issued, a cumulative total of N6,305,492,000.00 has been raised, with N3,602,949,000.00 raised for the 2-Year and N2,702,543,000.00 for the 3-Year,” the DMO said.

The FGNSB has helped to stimulate and deepen the savings culture among households, while assisting in the diversification of funding sources for the government. It also encourages financial inclusion across the social and economic strata.

Specifically, the FGN Savings Bonds give investors access to investment opportunities enjoyed by institutional investors. The investors in the bonds are given an opportunity to contribute their quota to the economic growth of the nation while earning good income. I foresee a situation where, youths, students, traders, name it, operating in the economic space or playing field, do not have difficulty in investing their money because of the benefits that come with the bonds,” an analyst said.

The FGNSB is capable of boosting savings culture among Nigerians. The minimum amount that can be invested is N5,000 which is accessible to many Nigerians, while the maximum investment is N50 million. 

For the government, the savings bond will shore up access to funds available for investment in the economy, thereby facilitating economic growth. It equally enables the individual to enjoy those benefits which accrue to big investors in the capital market.

The DMO said the Savings Bond would empower Nigerians economically, describing it as a window principally designed for retail investors with a view to providing opportunity for investors to contribute to national development because it improves the savings culture in the country.

Uboshe Uboshe/Doris Minimah/GEE

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Seme command rakes in N1.2bn in September 2016

ITRealms:

The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has raked in the sum of N1,129,115,213.23 (One Billion One Hundred and Twenty Nine Million, One Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Two Hundred and Thirteen Naira Twenty Three Kobo), as revenue for the month of September 2016, reports ITRealms.

The Command, ITRealms gathered also made a total of 76 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N67, 729,225.18 for the period under review, stressing that the upsurge in the revenue figure for the period under review is said to be unprecedented in recent times. 

Customs Public Relations Officer at Seme Area Command, Taupyen Selchang informed ITRealms that though the previous months were characterized by a lot of challenges that militated against the smooth collection of revenue in the Command, it is heartwarming to note that efforts put in place to address the challenges yielded the expected result far above the preceding months. The amount generated surpassed the sum of N883, 791,678.88 that was collected within the same period under review in 2015 with over N245, 323, 534, 35. 

He quoted the Custom Area Controller, Victor Dimka as disclosing that the previous challenge of revenue in the Command has been overcome. He pointed out that there will be a boost in revenue if the Memorandum of Understanding signed with our counterpart (Republic of Benin) translates into handing over of all transit vehicles to Seme Command. 

He re-stated that with the compliance in the general unification of values across border Commands, the implementation of the complete 17 digits declaration of VIN and the strict adherence to clearance procedure of general goods, he was hopeful that this feat will be recorded and sustained once the principle of compliance, transparency and integrity while discharging the core mandates of the Service is strictly adhered to. 

The Compt. Dimka pointed out that this impressive performance will go down memory lane to justify our commitment and determination to succeed at all course. He said the Command remain undaunted and cannot be deterred in performing her statutory responsibility no matter the challenge. 

In the same vein, the anti-smuggling unit of the Command has also intercepted and arrested three (3) bullet proof vehicles smuggled into the country at different entry locations. 

"The three arrested bullet proof vehicles with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N58,797,969.00 have the following particulars: A black Jeep Escalade with Lagos Registration number GGE 225 BM; A black Toyota Land Cruiser (VKR) with Lagos Registration number LSR 906 AG;
and A black Mercedes Benz Bus with a foreign number."

Inspecting the seized bullet proof vehicles, the Customs Area Controller disclosed that the security of the nation remain a top priority to the border Commands of the Nigeria Customs Service. 

The Command’s helmsman re-iterated that apart from generating revenue, suppression of smuggling and facilitation of legitimate trade, the Nigeria Customs Service has a complementary role of protecting the territorial integrity of this nation. 

The Controller added that the challenge of security is vital to the survival of the nation’s socio-economic and political system; hence the need to ensure that bullet proof vehicles undergo security procedure for approval from the office of the National Security Adviser before importation. 

He highlighted that the Command’s seizures in recent times attest to the alertness and the security consciousness of the anti-smuggling unit. He further stated that the Command located at the corridor of the West Africa sub-region will not relent in her effort in combating smuggling and other cross border vices. 

Conversely, he noted that when smuggling is drastically reduced through aggressive anti-smuggling operations as in the case of Seme Command, legitimate trade across the frontier is facilitated and higher revenue generated. 

The Customs Area Controller stressed that the uncompromised stand of the Command to work relentlessly in line with the global best practices (border management) and the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs cannot be over-emphasized. 

He charged his officers not to rest on their oars in having a healthy and symbiotic relationship with the stakeholders in the implementation process of the Federal Government fiscal policies. The Seme Command’s helmsman observed that a healthy relationship devoid of infractions in clearing procedure will give the Command the desired result, increase revenue generation and suppression of smuggling. 

Ayo Omidele/GEE

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