Customs has lost revenues more than oil industry – Senator Hope Uzodinma

Senate Committee Chairman on Customs and Excise duties, Hope Uzodinma, Thursday informed the Senate that its investigation has discovered revenue loss of over N30 trillion in the last eleven years.

Speaking through order 42 and 53, he explained that the Committee which was set up to examine operations of Customs to identify revenue leakages was shocked at the manner FOREX supplied by the Central which was meant for importation of goods were used.

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I rise through order 42 and 43 to recall that my Committee which was set up on 15/11/2016 discovered over N30 trillion worth of FOREX without evidence,” he submitted.

Uzodinma also disclosed that Customs officers did connive with some Asian companies operating in Nigeria to move imported goods meant for Nigeria to neighbouring Cotonou.

He also added that there were able to do this by changing dockets of those goods and transport them away in the night.

“Mr. President, you will note that goods imported into the country are offloaded into bonded warehouse and later on moved by some Asian Companies to Cotonou with connivance of Nigeria Customs”, he said.

He urged the Senate to incorporate Senate Committee on Maritime to investigate activities on how these goods are moved to another country.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in his ruling expressed the readiness of Senate to take further steps.

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