- Compt. Frank Onyeka (left), Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Customs, Leke Abejide, and others during the lawmakers’ visit to the Tincan Island Customs Area Command in Lagos
By Anthony Nwachukwu
Compt. Frank Onyeka of the Tincan Customs Area Command has gained the backing of the visiting House of Representatives Committee on Customs following his revenue collection figures and anti-smuggling records, among many others.
Chairman of the Committee, Leke Abejide, applauded the command’s professionalism in revenue collection and assured their continued support. According to Abejide, the committee is working to ensure that any bill on Nigeria Customs receives speedy hearing at the lower chamber.
This followed the disclosure by Compt. Onyeka that the command generated a total sum of ₦347.93 billion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a N44.14 billion improvement on the N303.79 billion collected in the same period of 2024, according to a statement from the Command Public Relations Officer, Osca Ivara.
Onyeka said the significant improvement highlighted the remarkable growth and effectiveness of the command’s revenue generation strategies, which reinforces its commitment to driving economic development through improved operations and zero tolerance for revenue leakages.
However, the collected figure, which was a 14.54 per cent improvement on the record for the same period of 2024, represents 91.2 per cent of the total revenue target of N381.16 billion for the 2025 first quarter, and 22.81 per cent of the annual revenue target of N1.52 billion.
On the efforts to combat illegal activities and ensure national security, Compt. Onyeka told the lawmakers that the command recently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) illicit drugs with a total street value of over ₦8.05 billion.
This comprised a combined 1,863 packets of Cannabis Indica weighing 931.25 kilograms, and 97 packets of Crystal Methamphetamine, all discovered in 2x20ft containers.
On stakeholder engagements, Onyeka said the command maintains an excellent working relationship with cross sections of critical stakeholders, including licensed agents, shipping companies, the armed forces and para-military agencies, as well as civil societies.
According to him, these collaborative efforts have enhanced operational efficiency, security and the overall safety of the port, just as the regular meetings, joint operations and knowledge-sharing initiatives have helped to address security concerns and boost trade facilitation.
Meanwhile, Onyeka said that committed to fostering a highly skilled and ethical workforce, the command organised a series of training programmes in the first quarter on integrity, emotional intelligence in the workplace, and effective inspection and clearance classification procedures.
“These training initiatives have empowered our officers with the necessary tools to perform their duties with the utmost professionalism, ensuring that the port operates seamlessly and in full compliance with international standards,” he said.
