ACG Auwal hands over Apapa Customs to Jaiyeoba as command sets new revenue record

Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG) and former Controller, Apapa Area Command, Auwal Muhammed has handed over the reins of office to his successor, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba.

This came as the command on Tuesday announced a revenue collection of N676billion between January and August 2023.

ACG Auwal who disclosed the revenue feat said the command collected its highest monthly and daily revenue of N136billion and N10billion respectively in August 2023.

“It is the first time in the history of this command and in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service that an area command was able to generate over N10billion in a day and N136billion in a month. But I am not handing over a bench mark of N10billion to the incoming area Controller, I am handing over N10billion daily collection as you resume office,” he said.

Speaking, shortly after taking over the reins of the command, Comptroller Jaiyeoba expressed his readiness to sustain and surpass the new revenue record set by the command.

Jaiyeoba, who was until his redeployment, Controller in charge of Oyo/Osun command, expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs for the opportunity to serve at the premier command, noting that although his predecessor has left a very big shoe behind, he is not afraid to take up the challenge.

Jaiyeoba solicited the support and cooperation of officers and stakeholders to sustain the achievements set by his predecessor in the area of revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling just as he promised to operate an open-door policy.

He said, “I want to thank the Comptroller General of Customs for the opportunity to be here and also to ACG Muhammed for leaving this big shoe behind for me. I know it’s a lot of challenges but I am not afraid to face challenges because challenge is what keeps you going. If the task is too easy, it will not bring out the best in you.”

Earlier in his valedictory speech, Auwal who was recently appointed as Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Technical Services at the Service headquarters in Abuja while highlighting the successes attained by the command within his seven months stay urged the officers to give the same support to his successor.

Auwal ascribed the revenue and other operational successes the command recorded under his watch to teamwork, diligence and zero compromise by officers.

He commended the officers just as he urged them to rededicate themselves to service and surpass government expectations of them in the area of revenue collection, prevention of smuggling and trade facilitation.

He listed some of the seizures made within the seven months to include N21.6 billion worth of tramadol packed in 720 cartons, containing 143.8 million units of 225 miligram tablets and weighing 10.3 tonnes as well as handover of another 20 cartons of illicit drugs valued at N1.4 billion to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Among the seizures also were two pistols hidden inside a groupage container.

While applauding officers for their vigilance for uncovering the ammunition, ACG Auwal advised importers and their agents to keep abreast with federal government guidelines on items that require end user certificate to ensure compliance and due diligence before embarking on importation.

On the use of technology for trade facilitation, Auwal said Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS ll) depends on true and proper declaration to work well, adding that acts like false declaration accounts for most delays traders go through in the port.

He said deployment of scanners had improved operations at the port as an average of 120 containers are scanned daily as against 50 containers scanned at the commencement of the process.W

While thanking sister agencies and stakeholders for their cooperation throughout his time as Area Controller, ACG Auwal assured that the incoming Controller, with his experience in Customs administration, will turn around the fortunes of the command.