How Yusuf Saved Customs From Orchestrated Embarrassment

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Remember Comptroller M.A Yusuf of the defunct Customs Headquarters Strike Force Zone C? He retired honourably from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in December 2022 after putting in thirty five years in service to fatherland.

e than a decade earlier, Alhaji Yusuf had already established himself as the service’s un questionable leading enforcement operative, recognized and respected by the headquarters and the control commands.

In the history of the customs service, he was the first and perhaps the only Officer-in-Charge to intercept over 30 trailers of contraband  foreign rice on water; even though he was a non marine operative and at the time attached to the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A.

His records of unprecedented, large scale seizures helped to ameliorate the service’s diminishing image at the time in the face of government harsh words and open insults by stakeholders including the Rice Millers and Importers Distribution Association of Nigeria (RIMIDAN).

It is instructive that Yusuf won the CGC Gold Merit Award in 2010 for his outstanding anti-smuggling exploits, thus giving the service a breather, and providing the plank for regaining its self esteem.

During the unstiffing and examination by all stakeholders involved

A forthright, no-nonsense, tested and trusted officer, Yusuf’s versatility in customs functions is legendary as he can hold his place anytime and any day.

It goes without any gainsaying that  his versatility and competence cuts across the service’s various functions and statutory tasks, covering revenue, tariff, administration, planning, training and diplomacy; aside enforcement.

It was not surprising therefore that the then CGC Col Hameed Ali (Rtd), appointed him Head of the Customs Headquarters Strike Force Zone C in 2020. In 2021, Yusuf saved the NCS from what would have passed as a potential dent on customs image following the orchestrated and overzealous attempt by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigerian Police Force to forcefully impound a container under the escort of the NCS.

The container laden with furniture accessories which was released by the NCS on Bond to the Kaduna Inland Dry Port was placed under arrest along the Onitsha-Benin Expressway by operatives of the IRT led by the then dreaded Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba kyari, which claimed that claimed the container was carrying arms and ammunition; and demanded that the container be opened for check.

On being contacted by his field officers on the development, Yusuf Despite that Yusuf’s officers explained that the container seal can only be broken at the customs designated area as manifested in the Transire for proper examination by all concerned fell on deaf ears, the special police team insisted on having the container opened.

Yusuf, left, explaining aspects of the operation of one of his landmark seizures to the then Controller FOU Zone A and other senior officers

At that point, Yusuf was contacted and upon been fully briefed, encouraged his officers not to cave in to pressure, that they should maintain their ground whilst he speaks with the IRT head.

He called Abbah Kyari on phone, explained the routine and implication of breaking the seal and requested him to call his men off; but the head of the team refused and directed his men with about six operational vehicles to take the container to the Force Headquarters Asaba.

If such had happened and maybe an uncustoms good was planted in the container to justify their actions, some lazy thinking Nigerians would have jumped up to say uncharitable things about customs and its officers and men, who are doing a thankless job, working round the clock sometimes at great risks to their lives to protect the national economy.

Yusuf as young officer already making waves in the NCS by virture of his dynamic enforcement exploits

At that time, nobody will listen to customs clarification or position; and that would have put customs in a very tight corner. Confirming the incident, Yusuf said the matter was resolved and the container eventually released to the customs.

“It is true my team had an encounter with operatives of the IRT, they claimed they had intelligence that the container was carrying arms and ammunition, and wanted the container to be opened for examination.  When they got to my men, they contacted me, and l said under no circumstances should they break the seal, that the law doesn’t allow it.

“When the policemen became restive l told my officers to maintain calm and to follow the container wherever the police was taking it. They took it to the Commissioner of Police’s Office Asaba. Before they got there, I got the phone number of Abba Kyari their leader and called him, and I explained the position of the law with regards to sealed cargo containers.

“I even told him that l will provide logistics for them to follow the container to its destination in Kaduna so that they can check after the importer has cut the seal, but he refused to listen. As at the time l arrived Asaba, the CP said he has escalated the case to the office of the IGP and asked me to call my head quarters.

“It was a serious matter, l told him l have no need to disturb head quarters because head quarters knows that we will do the right thing, and that l am speaking from the position of the law; that only the owner of the container can break the seal.”

The container of furniture accessories positioned for unstuffing at the KDIP

He continued: “When l noticed they were not listening, l asked my boys to go and take photograph of the container and the seal, right in their presence and write a report.

“Eventually the issue was escalated to the highest echelon of government security agencies before a decision was taken for the container to be released to our officers for onward escort to its destination.”

Asked how the orchestrated overzealousness would have impacted the NCS, Yusuf said it would have resulted unimaginable if he and his team hadn’t intervened. Upon the scrapping of the Strike Force, he was recalled to the headquarters, from where he was again posted to Apapa Customs Area Command where he served as the DC Enforcement.

He retired in November 2022 and was decorated comptroller following his success at the promotion exercise ahead of his disengagement.