‘Seizures Without Arrest Not Seriously Impacting Smugglers’ – Olomu

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Determined to sustain the pioneering flagship role in the optimization of revenue collection while at the same time keeping close tab on recalcitrant and non compliant traders bent on trafficking in prohibited, contraband and dangerous items, the leadership of the Apapa Port Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has encouraged officers to make more efforts in matching seizures with the arrest of suspects.

This is even as the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, Ph.D, fsi announced a total collection of N2.01trillion revenue as at November 19, 2024; while assuring that the command will achieve its set revenue target by end of the November; a month in advance.

Dr. Olomu who made above disclosure while addressing officers and men of the command on a parade on Wednesday November 20, 2024 said the command’s revenue target of N2.2tr for the 2024 operational year has been accomplished through unremitting personnel commitment.

He said the overall impressive scorecard of the command is a reflection of the motivation and leadership inspiration cascaded down the management structure by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,MFR.

A statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, CSC Usman Abubakar quoted the Apapa Customs boss as saying the port command plays a pivotal role in the overall performance of the service, noting that the command contributed 40% (forty percent) of the N5.07tr so far collected as part of the service’s 2024 revenue target.

The statement reads, “Comptroller Olomu said the command is drawing inspiration from the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,MFR who announced the total collection of N5.07tr by the service on Tuesday at the just concluded CGC Conference in Abuja.

“Apapa Port Command plays a critical role in the overall performance of the service nationwide .The command contributed 40% (forty percent) of the N5.07tr total target of the service that has been met so far, which underscores the high expectations and responsibility on the command.”

While urging officers and men to align with the outstanding examples set by CGC Adeniyi in revenue collection, trade facilitation, uncompromising enforcement and sustained stakeholder engagement, Olomu charged officers of the command to sustain the tempo of revenue generation and enforcement and ensure that seizures made from smugglers are backed with suspects for prosecution.

“Arresting smugglers with their wares would cause greater impact in the fight against smuggling”, he said.

An administer per excellence, Olomu used the opportunity of the parade to bring his officers and men up to date with the important highlights and lessons drawn from the just concluded CGC’s Conference that was held in Abuja. He urged them to imbibe the spirit and letter of the conference theme “Engaging Traditional and New Partners With Purpose”.

He listed some outcomes from the conference which include sustenance of diligent import and export cargo examination with the deployment of hundred percent physical examination where necessary; granting of access to enforcement unit officers to view the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) platform now B’ Odogwu; and avoidance of Indiscriminate intervention alerts which makes service personnel appear to be working at cross purposes.

“NCS is one and should operate and be seen as one”, he charged his officers and   men.

Speaking further on important highlights from the CGC Conference, Olomu announced the banning of commercial activities within customs formations and premises. He listed such activities to include activities of Point of Sales (PoS) operators around customs offices, and involvement of customs officers in the clearing of cargo, which translates to affected officers doubling as licensed agents; and which the conference noted conflicts with personnel official mandates.

Other messages cascaded from the 2024 CGC Conference announced by Comptroller Olomu includes compulsory and routine medical checks for all officers; instituting rewards and honouring outstanding officers for their productivity; development of inter zonal games being put together by the service Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) ; fully automation of transire by first quarter of 2025 and the expansion of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) and Advance Ruling(AR) scheme.

This is even as Comptroller Olomu announced that the command is planning an award night for deserving officers and stakeholders that have contributed to it’s success in 2024.

Given the mood of the time, the excited CAC publicly commended some units and individual officers for their exemplary performance, with a token of award plaques.

Instructively, the Compliance Unit was honoured for the recovery of over N2b in the last three months, including efforts of the Revenue Recovery Unit that also prevented the loss of N3b within the last three months, which was also recognized.

While Assistant Comptroller M. Samad received an award from the CAC for due diligence and regular detection of under valuation, Inspector of Customs Adamu Bashir was also honoured for being the best dressed and punctual officer within the period under review.

Upon assumption of office in January this year, Olomu outlined a 6-Point agenda to refocus the command’s operations. In no particular order, he listed Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)  as a major driver of his assignment.

“We are reviving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large. As you may be aware, the management of the service is committed to evolving a more modern customs with Apapa Port being a nucleus to the implementation of the many trade facilitation reforms championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR dsm psc (+).”

He explained that officers and men of the command also have a duty to vigorously pursue ongoing customs modernization and prescribed tools of trade and conventions by global trading partners including the World Customs Organization (WCO).

“I want to urge our officers to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernization, otherwise called e-customs, the AEO, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organization (WCO) innovations like the recently introduced Advanced Ruling Policy (ARP).

“This will enable us to enjoy more gains of trading across borders in the global supply chain in line with the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), the WCO Supply Chain Management Guidelines, and the various national best practices.”

Third on the agenda is the promotion of stakeholders’ partnership and engagement, tailored after the CGC’s own agenda, as he stressed the importance of achieving an interactive stakeholders’ community in the overall goal of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

“Being the customs command handling the largest volume of trade in Nigeria, Apapa Command under my leadership won’t be complacent and will be open to continuous engagement with everyone. My doors are open for advice on how best to achieve our mandate because we are all here to add value and do better.”

Olomu also prescribed a framework of an efficient work culture officers and men must adopt as an overriding principles expected to help achieve set goals and results. He explained that this will enhance stakeholders’, officers and men’s work outlook as a collective attitude to improved best practices.

“I shall set up a trade dispute resolution seat that will operate every day including weekends to ensure that we make this Command a true front liner in global best practices in terms of customs operation for other customs formations to emulate.”

Olomu urged officers and men of the command to redouble their diligence and commitment in all areas of responsibilities, noting that the NCS core tasks must be treated as a whole, noting that he is confident that team spirit will lead and prevail as failure is not an option.

“I see my task as CAC Apapa Command as a serious assignment from the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,, MFR dsm psc (+) of which our only option is to deliver diligently not only in revenue collection, fight against smuggling, but in trade facilitation and sustainable stakeholder engagement.”

An headquarters product with immense exposure to leadership examples, Olomu arrived Apapa Command confident and prepared to deliver.

“My assumption of this office is with a mind of confidence that we won’t betray the trust reposed in us by the FGN, the CGC and the entire management of the Nigeria Customs Service. This confidence is premised on the reality that I am taking over a very organized command, where I intend to build on the successes of my predecessor.”

Under his watch, the command busted a number of high profile contraband and expired drugs and recorded the seizures of trade goods that violated the customs extant rules, leading to the recovery of lost revenues.

He also delivered handsomely in the area of revenue generation, consistently breaking records and setting new records, not just in revenue and prevention but also in result oriented partnership and engagement across various segment of publics and stakeholders.

A fearless, dutiful, courageous officer and a stickler to the rules of engagement, Olomu does not prevaricate on the pursuit of standard, fairness and excellence.

A fine administrator to wit, as CAC Edo/Delta Customs Area Command, Olomu raised the command’s stature in all areas of revenue and excise control, stamping the customs service presence in hitherto ‘no-go area’ and business frontiers, even as he left an indelible footprint behind upon his recall to the headquarters in 2023.

Supporting his vision and drive to sustain the pioneering image of the premier port command are his principal officers, who not only believe in him but share his philosophy, commitment and focus.

They include the DC Revenue, Wale Adenuga; DC Enforcemt,  Nwanze; DC Admin D O Odusola; DC Compliance O. O Akingbade; DCAPMT,  Ibrahim Turaki; plus the indefatigable Command PRO, CSC Usman Abubakar, amongst others.