Apapa Customs enlightens reps committee on regulatory mandates, showcases safety measures

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday received members of the House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulation, who visited the Command on an oversight duty.

The oversight duty began with a tour of the port termimals, where the Chairman of the committee, Hon. David Idris Zachariah, displaying an apparent lack of understanding of Customs operations blamed Customs for the influx of substandard items like fake cables, which he linked to recent fire incidents- into the country.

Speaking, the Chairman asked, “Why do you allow all those substandard and fake items to come into the country? And you are here and gave an oath that you stand to defend Nigeria, your country. Are you truly defending Nigeria, your country while we have substandard fake cables that is ravaging the whole market in Nigeria. Why? Is it because those affected are not your brothers?”

Responding, Controller of the Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, took time to clarify the distinct roles of government agencies at the ports just as he reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safety and compliance.

​Oshoba explained that while Customs intercepts prohibited goods, the professional assessment and quality control of items like cables and fake drugs falls under the purview of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Correcting the committee’s misconception regarding the detection of fake and substandard products, Oshoba said, “We have government agencies within every customs environment. For items that you mentioned, like cables, fake drugs and all the rest, we have SON, NDLEA and NAFDAC that take charge of these things.

“Customs as a federal government agency is charged with the responsibility of revenue collection, anti smuggling, trade facilitation and national security. ”

Oshoba also highlighted the command’s seizures and safety track record noting that none of these fake items have escaped the port without being detected and seized by Customs.

He, however, attributed the influx of fake goods in the market largely due to the country’s porous borders.

“Most of this is due to our porous borders.. We have expansive, extensive borders that are porous,”

“The CGC has reiterated this over and over, and any security agency in the country will tell you that’s part of the reason why we are having issues of insecurity because of our porous borders. So items like that cannot be excused from coming into the country. But as for Apapa Area command, we are not compliant to anything that is adverse or injurious to society or the national security, ” he said.

​The Controller also showcased the command’s dedication to operational safety, emphasizing that over two decades, the facility has never experienced a fire incident or emergency evacuation.

“We place prevention at the front burner of everything we do,” he said.

The oversight visit concluded with Comptroller Oshoba leading the committee members on a tour of the customs scanning site.