…as Comp. Sani Madugu hands over to new acting controller
The Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday said it has stepped up measures to combat smuggling activities and improved revenue for the country.
This was revealed by the outgoing controller of the command, Comp. Sani Madugu during a special press briefing to commemorate the handing over ceremony to the newly posted acting controller DC. Agbara Ojobo Michael at Idiroko Axis of the command.
According to Madugu, the command under his leadership had surpassed the feats it achieved in 2017.
In his words: “It is pertinent to inform you that, we have reinvigorated our efforts not only to sustain the tempo we have achieved in the previous year (810 seizures with DPV of N1,581,410,058.00 and total revenue of N6,162,559,790.13 from January to December, 2017), but rather strategies have been put in place to improve our performance.”
Speaking further, he said: “This assertion can be justified based on the successes recorded from January to date (18th April, 2018). During the aforementioned period, a total of N1, 413, 867, 209.00 was collected as revenue. Also, a total of 110 seizures with Duty Paid Value of 731, 009, 781.00 was made in the area of anti-smuggling. Items seized include: 118 vehicles (both tokunbo and means of conveyance), 16 motorcycles, 5, 512 bags of foreign rice (50 kg each), 78 bales/sacks of secondhand clothing/shoes/bags, 907 kegs of vegetable oil, 9 drums and 32 kegs (25litre each) of diesel, 5 drums of kerosene, 406 kegs of PMS (petrol) and 63 compressed book packs, 93 compressed coconut packs and quarter sack of Cannabis sativa (popularly known as Indian Hemp) among others items,” he said.
Madugu also spoke on the zero tolerance of the command and indeed the NCS to smuggling activities. He said the command arrested six suspects while reassuring that their prosecution at a competent law court is imminent.
“During the last press briefing held on 23rd of March, 2018, we promised to catapult punitive measures towards apprehension and prosecution of smugglers to serve as deterrent to others. It was stressed that the era of abandoned seizure (seizure without accomplice) is over. From the date we made the aforementioned pledge, six (6) suspects were arrested with various kinds of prohibited items suspected to have been smuggled into Nigeria. The processes of prosecuting such unpatriotic members of the public in the court of law are ongoing,” Madugu said.
Speaking on his redeployment, Madugu said with some emotions in his voice: “Permit me to align with a popular saying, “It’s really amazing when two strangers become the best of friends, but it’s really sad when the best of friends become two strangers”. Whatever has a beginning surely has an end and every end is a new beginning.
I reported to this Command on 25th April, 2017 as Customs Area Controller and diligently served my fatherland to the best of my ability for almost a year in Ogun state. I must confess that, I really enjoyed and cherished my stay with all of you, because you all gave me your best. You proved matured, dedicated, and loyal in the discharge of your duties. This is manifested in the successes we have achieved in revenue generation and anti-smuggling in the last one year.
I am very proud of you. We all enjoyed peace, harmony and good working relationship as brothers and sisters.
Monthly targets and performance appraisals will come and go, but the memories of working with colleagues and all stakeholders including the Media, traditional institutions, eminent personalities, sister security agencies and host communities in Ogun state will linger in my memory forever.”
Madugu while welcoming the new Acting Area Controller DC Agbara Ojobo Michael, assured him that the team he was leaving behind is loyal and dedicated.
“To my respected colleague, I am today handing over to you a dedicated, loyal and responsible team that without any iota of doubt will accord you the necessary support. I am optimistic that the support given to me by the media and other critical stakeholders will surely be extended to you. Your posting is indeed a round peg placed in a round hole”.
Finally, According to Charles M. Schulz “Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos,” Madugu said.
