We’re Now Matching Seizures With Suspects,No Room for Smugglers’ Escape- Comptroller Bamisaiye
Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, Controller Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service sat with Ismail Aniemu for an exclusive interview on his command’s operations.
Saddled with anti smuggling function on waters within the western part of the country, Bamisaiye spoke on some achievements under his leadership.
According to him, cannabis sativa tops the list of seized items by the command with foreign rice and premium motor spirit coming behind the illtcit drug
Excerpts
Give us an overview of Western Marine Command operations for 2024. We are getting close to the end of the year. How has this year been?
For Western Marine Command, the year has been so eventful. It has been full of activities. Our core duty here is purely enforcement just like the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) . We have never had any dull moment since the beginning of the year. We have made several seizures and generated revenue.
Statistically, can you give us the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of seizures you made for the year so far?
Statistically, for 2024, we have made N1,161,089,975 Duty Payable Value (DPV) compared to 2023 when we generated N1,095,381,610 and that is N66 million increase which is 6% increase, whereas, this year has not ended.
What is your preparation for the Yuletide period, because this season also comes with attitudinal tendencies by traders to smuggle?
As usual, we are ready for round the clock enforcement this period and all through into 2025. Smugglers who shall attempt using our waters for their illegal activities will have us to contend with
Our seizure results show the outcome of strict enforcement.Let me inform you about the most frequent items seized here which is cannabis sativa. We have about 8,089 loaves and foreign parboiled rice of which we also have 1,475 bags of 50kg.
We also seized 27,325 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and when we compare these seizures to that of 2023, we have a very high increase in the seizure of these items.
When we talk of trend and reasons, for PMS, we have an increase in seizure. The reason for this is that we have a stronger intelligence shared with informants and that has helped us tremendously.
When we talk about decrease in smuggling of foreign parboiled rice, the reason is that there is a stricter enforcement and policy deterring smugglers because they know that we have zero tolerance for these things.
Economic pressure has also led to higher smuggling in terms of highly demanded items. By and large , we can say that the 2024 seizure report reflects a commendable improvement in enforcement effort.
Like the evolving nature of smuggling activities ,we look at the need for adaptive strategies, continuing investment in intelligence network, personnel training and equipment purchase which the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has graciously approved . This will be essential to sustain the achievement and address the emerging challenges ahead in 2025.
There has been a trend of seizures in the past from this command without suspects but recently we saw that you made seizures and suspects were arrested in connection with them. What changed how and did you do that?
When I resumed here, I saw the trend that my officers will come up with stories that on sighting the smugglers, the smugglers will always dive into the water.
I read the Riot Act to them and I told them that I would not accept that. They were trained as marine officers. If the smugglers dive into water they should also dive with them. I told them that they have to match their seizures with suspects and for the last seizures we made in November, we had three suspects. We have handed them over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) appropriately. This arrest of suspects would be sustained continually.
For 2025, what should we be expecting from the command in respect of enforcement function and stakeholder relationship?
In this area let me firstly acknowledge and appreciate the effort of our CGC. Speaking about his background he has been a Public Relations person.He encouraged us in this interface with our critical and strategic stakeholders including Navy , NDLEA and others.
I will say we are going to build on that existing synergy and relationship.We have been handing over the seizures of hard drugs to NDLEA including the suspects. I think we need to sustain that relationship. I must also commend the effort of our CGC. I need to tell you that we requested for 4 special seaboats that are designed in a way that they can move very fast on the high sea. I am talking about rigid inflatable boats.
The CGC has graciously approved 4 for us and Hilux Patrol vehicles for our activities. These things have been helping us to carry out our functions effectively and efficiently, and the results are there.
Your command interface with chandlers. To what extent are they working in compliance with the boats looking at 2024 as an assessment year?
Since I resumed duty here around April this year, I can see a very high level of compliance with the chandlers and we are monitoring them closely. They have been doing very well and we also are not relenting in watching them and making sure that they are not involved in smuggling activities and other related crimes.
Give us an update on your customs community relations activities especially with coastal communities
We have been doing well in that area.Infact, recently, we visited Igbokoda, Okitipupa because Ondo State and these places are under our watch.
Under my watch, we have been encouraging them and visiting them. Sometimes ,we give them palliatives, which is a form of corporate social responsibility. We also sensitize them about the disadvantages of smuggling.
We have also had seminars with the youths. We engage them in order to discourage them from smuggling activities and I believe that it is yielding results.Now, they are aware that smuggling activities is not a good business. We encourage them to go into legitimate businesses.
According to our CGC ,when the time comes for recruitment, I think these people will be given consideration . It is not a sin to have been born in a border or coastal community and I believe they will be given a higher percentage of intake when it the time comes
