Nigeria Customs: Trust, Competence And The Oramalugo Factor

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Fiercely loyal to the cause of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), its leadership and executive management, Comptroller Ben Oramalugo, PhD, has remained a recurring decimal within the Service’s administrative and operational arena in the last couple of years.

Oramalugo receiving his Award of Excellence from the CGC, Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja, recently.

His loyalty is by no means measured with the commonplace unquestioning submission to authority but encapsulates all the essential ingredients that nurture the Service’s image; in addition to and all the critical components that propel the gigantic, interconnected engine room of the customs operations.

1-4064×3048-1-0#Thus in terms of trust, hard work, dependability, competence and expectation, Oramalugo stands out shinning in his unpretentious trade mark simple mien, nonetheless,  exuding that air of a unique operational and intellectual administrator and a financial adjuster of note; taking Nigeria Customs anti-economic and anti-smuggling combat to an undeniable height of admiration and satisfaction.

Industry gist holds that following from when the immediate past Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) identified him as a knowledgeable officer with keen managerial and operational flair and appointed him the Customs Area Controller of Kebbi Area Command, Comptroller Oramalugo has continued to perform exceedingly and satisfactorily, breaking bounds and limits; and also breaking official records, including some of his own records.

Focused, resourceful, fearless, tactful, and pragmatic and blessed with sound judgment, he reinvented Kebbi Command into becoming one of a bustling, attractive economic artery, underscored by its highly improved customs/host community relationship.

Despite initially coming under the harsh operating weather of unscrupulous elements that thrive in the sundry illegal trade in outlawed goods such as endangered animal  species, Oramalugo among other enforcement exploits dared to impound truck loads of donkey skin in separate operations.

Under his watch, Kebbi Command recorded increased trading surpluses in reversed quantum, expanding the frontiers of local export and imports; and significantly growing Nigeria’s fishing trade between February and September 2023 when he was redeployed to the Oyo/Osun Area Command.

He took over from Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, now retired, on September 18, 2023 and provided unhindered and superlative leadership. His a year and half stint at the Oyo/Osun Area Command turned out very eventful where he also proved his mettle through numerous high profile seizures; while making huge revenue receipt recoveries in hundreds of millions of naira.

Tested and result oriented, Oramalugo who no doubt has impressed the NCS leadership and management, had left no one in doubt that he qualified to be addressed as an anti-smuggling czar of the NCS. Thus on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, it pleased the power that be to again re-assign him to Nigeria’s perceived busiest land border, the Seme Border Command.

Watchers of industry think that there is no way Oramalugo’s hard work, shinning credentials and superlative records, focus and competence, will escape the attention of the incumbent CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; who believes in productivity and commitment.

According to a statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, Oramalugo who was received by the Deputy Comptroller Enforcement, DC Istifanus D. M, assured officers and stakeholders of his readiness to consolidate on the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs for the seamless execution of the mandate of the Service.

The statement reads:”Comptroller Oramalugo, an accomplished and seasoned officer, officially assumed duty today, 11 February 2025, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to effective border management and trade facilitation.”

In December 2024, Oramalugo received Strategic the Community Engagement and Service Excellence Performance Award and was named “Outstanding Controller of the Year 2024’ at the CGCs Award.

Expectedly, his tenure in Oyo/Osun Command was marked by significant achievements in revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations.

In 2022, Oramalugo, then a Deputy Comptroller of Customs serving at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command, published  a book “Customs Administration in Nigeria”, in which he articulated the fundamentals of the primary task of the NCS; providing an informed, well laid out economic dynamics of the customs trade; reforms and policy implementations; prospects of the NCS, impacts of International Organizations such as UNO, WCO, WTO etc on its operations; highlights of important customs trade administration, policy enforcements and the rules of engagement.

Cerebral and gifted in professional oratory, Oramalugo also stand out as an intellectual power house with a PhD, FNIM prefixes to match his academic restlessness, recognitions and laurels.

Given his high heel scorecards and performance records, there is no gainsaying that Seme Border Command has yet again been blessed with an outstanding operative who understands the intricate balance between revenue generation, peaceful host border community, free flow of trade and national security.

Accustomed to hitting the ground running, Oramalugo had less than a week upon arrival in Seme taken steps to strengthen stakeholders collaboration in a deft move to promote synergy and understanding aimed to enhance operational efficiency, by embarking on a series of courtesy visits to key traditional leaders and heads of security agencies.

Apart from paying homage to the Oba Akran of Badagry and the Oba of Iberoko, where he acknowledged the crucial role of traditional institutions in maintaining peace and stability within the adjoining larger communities; Comptroller Oramalugo solicited their continued cooperation for a secured and conducive environment for legitimate trade.

Agencies of government he visited to canvass inter-agency cooperation for enhanced peaceful and legitimate trading atmosphere include the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Nigerian Army 243 RECCE Battalion Regiment,  the Nigerian Police Division, Badagry and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Discussions during these engagements centered on strengthening intelligence-sharing, improving border security, and fostering a more coordinated approach to tackling smuggling and other transborder crimes.

Speaking during the visits, Comptroller Oramalugo said: “Our mission at Seme Area Command goes beyond revenue collection; it extends to ensuring national security and fostering economic growth. Strong partnerships with traditional institutions and security agencies are vital in achieving these objectives.

“When I was posted to the Seme Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, the CGC told me to meet all sister agencies and seek synergy with them in order to combat smuggling here. I need your collaboration here in the Seme command to succeed.”

With Oramalugo, border watch pundits say the Seme Border Command renown for unexpected tendencies in customs trade and socio-economic volatility, will witness a downward trend, mitigating losses and improving overall gains, plus positive, fiscal performance, outlook.