Comptroller Sani hands over Ogun Customs with huge seizures …Says the process to prosecute smugglers on-going

Comptroller Sani hands over Ogun Customs with huge seizures

.Says the process to prosecute smugglers on-going

By Udeme Clement

“To my respected colleague, I am today handing over to you Ogun Command of Nigeria Customs Service ,NCS, with a team of dedicated, loyal and hard working officers, without any iota of doubt, they will give you the necessary support. I am optimistic that the support given to me by these officers, critical stakeholders and the media in enlightening the communities on the dangers of illicit trade will surely be extended to you. Your posting is indeed a round peg, placed in a round hole”.

These were the words of former Customs Area Controller ,CAC, of  Ogun Command, Comptroller Sani Madugu, while handing over the Command to the newly posted Acting CAC, DC Agbara Ojobo Michael, on April 18, 2018, at Idiroko, Ogun State.

Giving analysis on successes recorded in revenue generation and anti-smuggling activities of the Command, Comptroller Madugu explained, “It is pertinent to inform you that we reinvigorated our efforts not only to sustain the tempo we  achieved in the previous year with 810 seizures, estimated at a Duty Paid Value ,DPV,  of N1,581,410,058.00, and total revenue collection of N6,162,559,790.13 from January to December 2017, but mapped out strategies that improved our performance”.

He stated further, “These records can be justified based on the successes achieved in the first quarter of 2018 (From January to April 18, this year)”.

“During the aforementioned period, a total revenue of N1,413,867,209.00 was realised. Also, a total of 110 seizures with DPV of  731,009,781.00 was made in the area of anti-smuggling. Items seized include 118 vehicles (Tokunbo and means of conveyance), 16 motorcycles, 5,512 bags of foreign rice, 78 bales/sacks of secondhand clothes, shoes, bags, 907 gallons of vegetable oil, nine drums and 32 gallons of diesel, five drums of kerosene, 406 kegs of petrol, 63 compressed book packs, 93 compressed coconut packs and sacks of Cannibis Sativa (popularly known as Indian Hemp), among other items”.

He went on, “During the last press briefing held on March 23, 2018, we promised to catapult punitive measures towards apprehension and prosecution of smugglers, to serve as deterrent to others. It was stressed that the era of abandoned seizures without accomplice is over.

“From the date we made this pledge, six suspects were arrested with various kinds of prohibited items smuggled into Nigeria through the border. The processes of prosecuting such unpatriotic members of the public in court are on-going”.

Comptroller Madugu recalled, “I reported to Ogun Command on April 25, 2017, as the CAC and diligently served my fatherland to the best of my ability for  a year, in Ogun State.  I really cherished my stay with all stakeholders here.”

In his response, the new CAC, DC Michael, promised to build on the achievements so far recorded by the Command in anti-smuggling, revenue generation for government and trade facilitation in line with global best practice.

During the handing over exercise, it was observed that Comptroller Madugu and DC Michael went round all departments under Ogun Command, talking in a very friendly manner and inspecting all the seizures, in company of the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Maiwada A. A. and top officers of Ogun Command. The exercise ended with official documents of the Command being handed over to the new CAC.