Comptroller Nnadi unveils his scorecard on seizure, revenue generation in Ogun state command, and they are all in the green
By Uzor Odigbo
Comptroller Dera Nnadi has thanked the Comptroller General of Customs Hameed Ali and the Management for providing 10 brand new Toyota Hilux vehicles to the Command, which will enhance its anti-smuggling operations.
He said at a news conference that: “It is a demonstration of Management support and encouragement to Ogun 1 Command. It is proof of Management commitment to quality service delivery to the nation. This gesture will no doubt enhance our operation and improve our performance part of which we will share with you as we progress
The Command in the last five weeks has made seizures of 1,733 bags of foreign parboiled rice and other contraband items worth N172,999,387.00, between October 18 and November 23 in its anti-smuggling operations.
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, who made this known during a media briefing in Abeokuta, said that the 7311 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice is equivalent to 12 trailer loads which translate to 365, 550 kg or 365.55 metric tons.
Comptroller Nnadi said “The above emphasis is deliberate to show that this quantity of rice if allowed into the Nigerian market, will affect the Federal government rice policy negatively.
“A rice cooperative farm in Ogun State (specifically at Imeko Afon) with the active support of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Government and World Bank just last week harvested 2600 metric tons of paddy rice. This is a major win for the Command as we celebrate these farmers who are testimonies and justification of the Service anti-smuggling effort in support of local rice productions in the country.”
Comptroller Nnadi of the Ogun I Command also said the Service in his efforts to bring sanity and reduce incessant deaths of both Customs Officers and indigenes of Ogun state due to confrontations with smugglers have appealed to traditional rulers in the state to talk to their subjects.
Comptroller Nnadi who met with the traditional rulers recently tasked them to help change the name of the state which is referred to as “War zone” due to its several attacks on Customs Officers, which often lead to loss of lives and property.
On revenue collection, the Command also generated a total of N2,437,050 during the period under review, which are mainly proceeds of auction sales of seized petroleum products (PMS) and scrap metals, due to the closure of the border that does not allow import activities.
Other seizures recorded during the period include 12 kegs of 25 litres of vegetable oil, 20 units of used vehicles as means of conveyance, two used motorcycles as means of conveyance, four bales of 25kg each and sacks, 26 sacks of used shoes, 124 sacks of book size and 165 coconut-size cannabis Sativa, 831 kegs of 25 litres of PMS, four sacks of used toys and 810 cartons of frozen poultry products.
Comptroller Nnadi, also disclosed that two arrests were made in connection with the intercepted cannabis, but both have been released on bail.
“We are deploying massive intelligence and are also deploying rules of engagement in all our operations. This has yielded greater successes being recorded on daily basis without casualties”.
Comptroller Nnadi further revealed that engagement has been extended to include continuous interactions with critical stakeholders in the Command.
“To this end, we have been engaging the youths who form the bulk of the human capacity asset in Ogun State particularly at the border areas. We have also been engaging the elders of the communities who in all honesty have a good knowledge and understanding of the challenges of enforcing government policy in the border especially as the borders remain closed.
“We have also been engaging with royal fathers of the state and has appealed to them to warn their subjects to desist from smuggling and attacks on Customs personnel. Let me use this medium to thank them for accepting to continuously help in this direction. We are also reaching out to the state governor who is the chief security officer of the state in this direction and the future looks mutually very rewarding for Nigeria Customs Service and the state”.
The CAC warned smugglers and criminal elements in the state that the Command shall definitely uncover every illegal act of theirs, make arrests and inflict gross financial injury on such ventures and their perpetrators.
He noted that the continuous attacks on Customs and other security operatives in the state by unpatriotic people will not deter it from sustaining the onslaught on their smuggling activities.
“We are determined more than ever before carry out our anti-smuggling operations without let or hindrance”, he said.
Compt. Nnadi thanked critical stakeholders, members of the press, partner security agencies and traditional rulers/royal fathers for their continuous collaborative efforts and synergy with the Service while carrying out its statutory mandate in the state
