- Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Compt. Mohammed Shuaibu, presenting a plaque to the President of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), Moses Ebosele, during the association’s courtesy visit to the command in Ikeja, Lagos
By Anthony Nwachukwu
Compt. Mohammed Shuaibu of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says he will deploy his wealth of experience and intelligence-driven operations in piloting the unit’s anti-smuggling tasks rather than incessantly stopping containers on the highways.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the unit by the executive committee of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), Shuaibu noted that the command also facilitates trade, even though it is meant to be an anti-smuggling command.
However, “in terms of anti-smuggling activities, I do intelligence-driven operations. What we are trying to do is to ensure that we don’t just stop any kind of container. Even those checking points where you see our officers roving around, we would want to eradicate them.
“So, at any point in time, you will see that our officers will stop you and then remove those illegal items that are supposed to be extracted from your consignment.”
Nevertheless, “if importers and clearing agents are honest in declaring exactly what they have in their containers, why do we need to disturb ourselves moving around with vehicles to track them?”
The comptroller noted that sometimes, the officers are on the roads due to the insincerity of the declarants or importers, adding that when the unit begins intelligence-driven operations, they would only be at strategic locations based on available information.
Shuaibu urged importers and clearing agents to always be compliant in their declarations, disclosing that some cut corners out of ignorance, whereas their cargo is not contraband.
He further enjoined the media to continue supporting the customs by sensitising the general public about legitimate trade and honest declarations at the point of entry, while the youth should shun illegal dealings and do legitimate business.
According to him, sensitisation helps to facilitate trade by giving the importers the necessary information about cross-border trade, adding that some do not even know that what they are doing is illegal.
“Many times, we have had to adopt surveillance strategies to police the unapproved routes, and then re-channel them to the approved routes,” he stated.
“Some of them are doing legitimate businesses but don’t know, and still go through the unapproved routes, whereas they only need to do a few documentation and go.
“So, these are part of the sensitisation that we had been doing when I was in Ogun Command, and I will extend it to other commands to enable them understand the proper way of cross-border trade.
“This will make the whole operation seamless and the government will also generate more revenue, while the public will also engage in different kinds of legitimate trade and create more employment opportunities.”
Earlier, the President of SCAN, Moses Ebosele, commended the officers and men of the FOU ‘A’ for their gallantry in protecting the economy against illicit items. He assured that the media would continue to support the campaign against smuggling.
