The new Controller of the Nigeria Customs service Federal Operations Unit zone C Owerri,Comptroller Bishir Abdullahi Balogun has received stakeholders from Tinaper who paid him a courtesy call in the unit headquarters on Wednesday the 26th of March 2025.
While commending the Stakeholders for their efforts in generating revenue for the service and Nigeria at large, he reinstated that smugglers will have no hiding place as he is ready to carry out his mandates which are Suppressing Smuggling to its minimal level,blockade of revenue leakages,generating revenue etc.
Reeling out the dangers of smuggling to the nation, he described it as an economic sabotage for anyone to bring in prohibited goods into the country especially those that are produced locally, noting that such act runs counter to the government’s policy of revitalizing local firms and provision of employment opportunities to the youths.
Marshaling out his vision and plans, he noted that importers as well as exporters must endeavour to be conversant with items on the prohibition list as well as those allowed for importation into the country.
This, he stated will be one way of not falling on the wrong side of the import guidelines.
Comptroller Balogun was of the view that with the security situation around the globe , there were concerted efforts to nip the smuggling of small arms and light weapons in the bud.
According to him, the service is not unaware of the incidence of illegal importation of drugs including tramadol, cannabis sativa etcetera, which is injurious to the lives of the youths , noting that his Unit has designed intelligence-driven strategies to nab those who smuggle and patronize this ugly trade.
The FOU ‘C’ helmsman pointed out that the Unit will build on the legacies of the Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, , by sustaining the three major mandates of the service as regards plugging revenue leakages , enforcement and trade facilitation ( in this regard legitimate trade) into the country.
Charging his workforce to up the tempo of their operations, he advised that there would be no room for any offence against discipline, adding that they should redouble their efforts to meet the expectations of the Comptroller General who has provided needed logistics for the Unit to work and excel.
He stated that operational strategies will be constantly reworked in a bid to take steps ahead of economic saboteurs towards defeating the game of concealment, false declaration, under payment of duty and importation of illicit drugs.
‘As we battle with smugglers, our eagle eyes will not be letting go of duty evasion too.
In doing this, we are constantly encouraged by the manpower and logistics being provided by the Comptroller General’.
Compt Balogun deposed that the unparalleled efforts that will be injected into the Unit’s operation henceforth, in terms of seizure profile, recoveries, and arrests would serve as a deterrent to overzealous smugglers and duty evaders.
He said his Unit will make life unbearable for unrepentant smugglers, stressing that ‘any attempt to violate the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Act 2023, which is an enabling legislation will be met with total resistance on the part of smugglers and duty evaders’.
He noted that the Unit’s 24-hour round -the -clock patrols has been rejigged for efficiency, while enlisting the cooperation of stakeholders towards protecting the nation’s economy through legitimate trade.
