By Bon Peters
PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area 1 Command, has recorded a major leap in revenue generation, raking in ₦24.7 billion in September alone and a total of ₦72 billion for the third quarter of 2025. The Command also intercepted a consignment of controlled drugs worth millions of naira at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, disclosed this on Tuesday during her maiden press briefing at the Command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, where she highlighted the Command’s impressive financial performance and anti-smuggling achievements.
“This briefing highlights two key achievements — our remarkable revenue performance for September 2025 and the interception of some controlled drugs at the Port Harcourt International Airport,” Atuluku said.
She noted that the Command generated ₦24.7 billion in September 2025, representing a 97.6% increase compared to ₦12.5 billion recorded in the same period in 2024 — an improvement of ₦12.2 billion.
“I am particularly delighted because this marks my first full month as the Customs Area Controller of this Command, and it gives me great pride to announce the excellent revenue performance we recorded in September,” she stated.
Atuluku further revealed that the Command realized a total of ₦72 billion in the third quarter of 2025, compared to ₦48.3 billion during the same period last year — a difference of ₦23.7 billion, representing a 49% growth rate.
She attributed the feat to the hard work, transparency, and commitment of officers and men of the Command who have embraced the vision of operational efficiency and innovation, in line with the reform agenda of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR.
“I sincerely acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, Comptroller Y.M. Hashim, whose leadership and groundwork laid a solid foundation for this success,” Atuluku added.
On anti-smuggling operations, the Area Controller disclosed that on September 22, 2025, officers intercepted a shipment from Amsterdam aboard Allied Airway Bill No. 574-34543283, declared as mechanical spare parts but later found to contain several controlled pharmaceutical products concealed within.
The items uncovered included Tramadol Ratiopharm injections, Tramadol 50mg capsules, Generic Plus Paracetamol tablets, Doxepin tablets, and Phenyldam injections, all classified as prohibited under Nigerian law due to their potential for abuse.
She commended the officers for their alertness and professionalism, stressing that their vigilance prevented dangerous substances from entering the country.
“This operation underscores the importance of collaboration among sister agencies,” she said, acknowledging the contributions of NAFDAC, NDLEA, the Customs Intelligence Unit, and the Customs Police in the successful interception.
Concluding, Comptroller Atuluku reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to national service through effective revenue collection, trade facilitation, and border protection, pledging to sustain the momentum through continued collaboration, innovation, and integrity.
