The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says insecurity in parts of the country is negatively affecting its operations and revenue generation, with some commands forced to scale down activities because of security risks.
The Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs and Zonal Coordinator, Zone B, Nsikak Umoh, disclosed this in Minna while inspecting the Niger/Kogi Area Command headquarters and engaging vehicle importers on challenges facing the command.
Umoh said the security challenge was not limited to the Niger/Kogi Area Command but affected several Customs formations across the North-West, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara states.
“The security challenge is not peculiar to only Niger/Kogi Area Command. A whole of North-West comprising Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara States, which are all under my command, are facing the same security challenge,” she said.
According to her, Customs personnel have increasingly been exposed to threats, with some officers killed or injured while carrying out their duties.
She said the situation had compelled some commands to reduce their operations or adopt more cautious approaches, resulting in lower revenue collections.
Umoh said the service was encouraging officers to rely more on intelligence-led operations to minimise risks while ensuring that legitimate Customs duties continued to be collected.
“But we are trying our best to encourage them to use an intelligence-based operating system to do their job, and that is why in most of the commands, we have a reduction in revenue collections,” she said.
The ACG also expressed concern about the physical and psychological effects of insecurity on Customs personnel.
She noted that some officers had developed health complications, including hypertension, as a result of the fear and stress associated with their duties.
Despite the challenges, Umoh said the Niger/Kogi Area Command had continued to record strong revenue performance.
She disclosed that the command had surpassed its monthly revenue target of N17 million, generating more than N200 million as of August 12.
Umoh commended officers and other stakeholders in the command for sustaining revenue collection despite the difficult operating environment.
