How Collaboration Impacts Positively in Anti-smuggling War, by Apapa Customs Controller
Yusuf Malanta
By Francis Ugwoke
The Apapa Port Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, on Tuesday said that collaboration between units and other sister agencies play big roles in most of the successes recorded in the anti-smuggling war at the nation’s seaports.
Noting that the anti-smuggling war has not been an easy task, Yusuf however said his Command has been able tackle the issue with key strategies put in place.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the executive of the League of Maritime Editors, he said what the Command aims at was to make smuggling in Apapa Port a herculean task for dubious importers and their cronies
For instance, he said that with “credible intelligence, synergy and collaboration amongst relevant government agencies in the port”, the Command has done well in checking unscrupulous importers.
He also said that another strategy was on constant stakeholders sensitization in the clearance value chain.
According to him, “First of all, credible intelligence, synergy and collaboration amongst relevant government agencies in the port is one of the key strategies put in place to curtail the menace of hard drugs and other substandard items through Apapa port. Nonetheless, another area we focus on was constant stakeholders sensitization in the clearance value chain. No doubt, this has impacted positively in changing the psyche of importers and their agents to comply with extant laws”.
“The anti-smuggling war has not been an easy one. Rightly so, we are on top of our game. The Command’s anti-smuggling architecture is reviewed when the need arises, with the aim to make smuggling in Apapa Port a herculean task for dubious importers and their cronies. Interestingly, we have recorded spectacular seizures of hard drugs like tramadol tablets, codeine syrup, Captagon Pills, unregistered pharmaceutical, foreign perboiled rice, vegetable oil, used tyres, second hand clothing and unprocessed/processed wood, among others. It’s a fight to the finish.
“Every government agency, establishment, department or ministry have some bad eggs whose action may not conform with the operating procedures of the said establishment. That said, we have an administrative, internal discipline mechanism put in place to checkmate the conduct of our officers/men. Equally, officers/men found wanting in their assigned responsibilities are always made to face disciplinary committee to account for their actions/inaction, to serve as a deterrent to others.
“ We have put in place one-stop shop to facilitate trade and enforce compliance. Forensic Manifest Management Sytems is also another innovation brought to checkmate the activities of importers and their agents, based on their declarations, amongst others”.
Yusuf described the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), as a firm believer of reward and discipline, adding that his Command has been commended by the CGC for a good job.
It would be recalled that the Apapa Customs Command under Yusuf had some months ago intercepted N1.3bn worth of tramadol.
The drugs were declared as “cooking appliances, measuring/checking instruments and furnace burners to evade arrest”.
However, on examination, “55 cartons of Tramadol concealed in food flasks with a Duty Paid Value of N1.375 billion”, were discovered.
President of the League, Chief Timothy Okorocha had in his opening speech commended the CAC for the good job he has done in the anti-smuggling operations at the Command.
Okorocha said the League was ready to partner with the Command in its bid to check smuggling.
The Apapa Port Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, on Tuesday said that collaboration between units and other sister agencies play big roles in most of the successes recorded in the anti-smuggling war at the nation’s seaports.
Noting that the anti-smuggling war has not been an easy task, Yusuf however said his Command has been able tackle the issue with key strategies put in place.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the executive of the League of Maritime Editors, he said what the Command aims at was to make smuggling in Apapa Port a herculean task for dubious importers and their cronies
For instance, he said that with “credible intelligence, synergy and collaboration amongst relevant government agencies in the port”, the Command has done well in checking unscrupulous importers.
He also said that another strategy was on constant stakeholders sensitization in the clearance value chain.
According to him, “First of all, credible intelligence, synergy and collaboration amongst relevant government agencies in the port is one of the key strategies put in place to curtail the menace of hard drugs and other substandard items through Apapa port. Nonetheless, another area we focus on was constant stakeholders sensitization in the clearance value chain. No doubt, this has impacted positively in changing the psyche of importers and their agents to comply with extant laws”.
“The anti-smuggling war has not been an easy one. Rightly so, we are on top of our game. The Command’s anti-smuggling architecture is reviewed when the need arises, with the aim to make smuggling in Apapa Port a herculean task for dubious importers and their cronies. Interestingly, we have recorded spectacular seizures of hard drugs like tramadol tablets, codeine syrup, Captagon Pills, unregistered pharmaceutical, foreign perboiled rice, vegetable oil, used tyres, second hand clothing and unprocessed/processed wood, among others. It’s a fight to the finish.
“Every government agency, establishment, department or ministry have some bad eggs whose action may not conform with the operating procedures of the said establishment. That said, we have an administrative, internal discipline mechanism put in place to checkmate the conduct of our officers/men. Equally, officers/men found wanting in their assigned responsibilities are always made to face disciplinary committee to account for their actions/inaction, to serve as a deterrent to others.
“ We have put in place one-stop shop to facilitate trade and enforce compliance. Forensic Manifest Management Sytems is also another innovation brought to checkmate the activities of importers and their agents, based on their declarations, amongst others”.
Yusuf described the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), as a firm believer of reward and discipline, adding that his Command has been commended by the CGC for a good job.
It would be recalled that the Apapa Customs Command under Yusuf had some months ago intercepted N1.3bn worth of tramadol.
The drugs were declared as “cooking appliances, measuring/checking instruments and furnace burners to evade arrest”.
However, on examination, “55 cartons of Tramadol concealed in food flasks with a Duty Paid Value of N1.375 billion”, were discovered.
President of the League, Chief Timothy Okorocha had in his opening speech commended the CAC for the good job he has done in the anti-smuggling operations at the Command.
Okorocha said the League was ready to partner with the Command in its bid to check smuggling.
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