By Ajibola Adedoye
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone “C” has announced seizing contrabands worth N7,577,259,390.00 between January 25th, 2023 and April 19th, 2024.
Outgoing Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Kayode Kolade made this announcement on Friday, April 19, 2024 in a farewell message while handing over to a Comptroller Michael Ugbagu.
Kayode who was full of appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and his entire management team, for the trust and confidence bestowed on him to serve as Comptroller FOU Zone C.
Also Read
In his word: “I am grateful to the Comptroller-General of Customs and his entire management team, for the trust and confidence bestowed on me from January 25th 2023 to April 19th 2024 as I handover the affairs of this Unit to another amiable Comptroller Michael Ugbagu, who is also a thorough enforcement guru”.
He thanked officers of the unit for their unparalleled support, commitment, dedication, handwork and prayers, adding that their support was the reason for his successes.
Saying: “With all your support and cooperation, the Unit within my tenure was able to make substantial and spectacular seizures ; totaling 198 seizures with a Duty Paid Value of Seven Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy-seven Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety Naira only (N7,577,259,390.00) derived from five sacks of Pangolin scales weighing 413.1kg worth N523,356,390; 1,813 bags of 50KG each of
foreign parboiled rice worth N105, 105,000.00;
815 sacks of Cannabis Sativa weighing 17,950KG and 2,935 PARCELS (1KG Each ) weighing 2,935kg (TOTALING 20,885KG) worth N1,670,800,000.00.
“Although FOU Zone C is not a revenue-generating Unit, under my watch and based on interventions to checkmate the activities of fraudulent agents at the seaports, lots of lost revenues were recovered to the tune of One Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, Eight Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Naira only (NN155,819,714.00.) within my 15 months in office” he stressed.
Comptroller Kayode also reconstructed and equipped a clinic at the Unit’s office, in Owerri, where officers and men, as well members of the host community enjoy free health care services administered by the unit’s qualified medical personnel.
He however called on everyone to extend same support and cooperation to his successor, Comptroller Micheal Ugbagu as he pilots the affairs of the unit and wished him well.
In his response, Comptroller Michael Ugbagu thanked the CGC and his entire management team for bestowing him with the mandate to oversee the affairs of FOU Zone C.
He thanked Comptroller Kolade for his “highly commendable“ achievements while he held sway and pledged continued compliance with established guidelines.
He said “We will ensure compliance with the current import and export guidelines using intelligence and technology to drive our operations.
“There will be a watertight security against smuggling activities across the zone. Smugglers will be discouraged, frustrated and made uncomfortable, thereby making smuggling, duty evasion and warehousing of smuggled goods unattractive within the zone“ he assured.
For your Press Conferences/ Adverts/Media Consultancy/Support
Contact the Editor via WhatsApp +2349097600508/+2348032339384 or Email: news@dailyinsight.com.ng & shinaayo110@gmail.com