By Eguono Odjegba
CONTROLLERS, Port Harcourt Area 1 command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Comptroller Mohammed Boyi, has said that the partnership between the NCS and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has strengthened.
Boyi who played host to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the EFCC, Usman Imam, last week, noted that both organizations will continue to cooperate and achieve needed synergy through information sharing to boost operational efficiencies and optimize revenue generation drive of the federal government.
He added that the sustained cooperation would boost the 2020 revenue target of the Customs.
Boyi told Imam that although his Command was given a revenue target of N1.5trillion for 2020, it has challenged itself to hit N2trillion mark. He stated: “Last year, government gave us a revenue target of N1trillion. We delivered N1.3trillion. This year, N1.5trillion is the target. But instead of N1.5trillion the management said we should make it N2trillion. We will do what we can to meet our target in this Command.
“This collaboration will help us. Where we have challenges we will call on you”, saying customs collaboration with the Commission has become inevitable as both agencies have shared interest to further national economic growth, peace and security through regular exchange of intelligence and exposure to capacity development opportunities.”
Responding, Imam who was accompanied on the visit by his deputy, Babashani Umar Sanda, Umar Bello of the Procurement Fraud Section, Shola Olowonihi of the Capital Market Fraud Section and Daniel Anozia of the Advance Fraud Section, commended both organizations for the collaboration, noting that the Customs have also been instrumental in supporting the EFCC’s fight against money laundering, in cases of financial under declaration at the port.
“This is why I said I cannot rest until I have established proper contact with one of our key stakeholders. My goal is to see how we can improve on the existing relationship”, he said.