EJIBUNU’S SCORE CARD:
WE MADE N35.9 BILLION SEIZURES, AS HE HANDS OVER TO OLADEJI
Immediate past Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, zone A Lagos, Comptroller Hussein kehinde Ejibunu has disclosed that his unit made seizures worth N35.9 billion in the two and half years he held sway at the Unit.
Briefing newsmen today during a hand over of the unit to the new helmsman- Compt Oladeji, he stated that the unit under him intercepted 222,285 bags of foreign parboiled rice ( equivalent of 370 trailer loads).
Ejibunu noted that more than N2.256 billion was recovered as revenue through the issuance of Demand notices (DN).
Gentlemen of the PressI humbly and most respectfully welcome you to today’s epoch-making pressbriefing, which is my last in the Federal Operations Unit Zone A.
I want to use this medium to express my profound gratitude to God and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, dsm, fnipr,psc(+).
My Stewardship in this great Unit unarguably enjoyed the morale and logistics support that was needed for me to succeed. My appreciation also goes to the management, officers and men of this Unit for their untiring support, dedication, gallantry and uncompromising posture in the fight against smuggling and revenue recovery.
You worked both day and night to ensure that the successes we recorded were achieved. Unfortunately, while on legitimate duties within Zone’s area of operations, eight (8) officers sustained different degrees of injuries while five (5) lost their lives in the line of duty; may their souls rest in peace through the mercy of God (amen).
It is appropriate at this time to once again thank members of the press for being true allies by informing and updating the public about the activities of this Unit.My journey of leadership of the Unit that commenced on the 10th September, 2021 till date was a bit challenging but above all, very successful.
A part of the challenges encountered when I assumed duty newly was the continued rate of suspected smugglers attacks on officers while on duty. To mitigate such levels of attacks, the Unit embarked on sensitisation programmes and courtesy visits to traditional rulers of border communities which yielded a drastic reduction in the levels of deadly confrontations and attacks.
I cannot hurriedly forget the cooperation of most of the traditional rulers such as the Onipokia of Ipokia Kindom, Ogun State; Oba Yisa Sola Adeniyi Adelakun Olaniyan (JP), the Alake of Egba Land, Ogun State; Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III, and the Olu of Ilaro/Paramount Ruler of Yewa Land, Ogun State; His Royal Majesty, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, who visited the Unit twice to commiserate with the officers and men over the loss of some gallant men on duty.
Other successes recorded by the Unit under my watch include; improved suppression of smuggling by making more seizures and the arrest of suspects served as a deterrent to intending smugglers. Increased revenue recovery through meticulous documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on goods found to have underpaid.
Enhanced trade facilitation by providing escorts for goods on fast track for compliant traders. From the 10th September 2010 till date, a total of 3,189 seizures were recorded with a duty paid value of Thirty-five Billion, Nine Hundred and Eight Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand, Four Hundred and Twelve Naira Only (₦35,908,331,412.00) and a sum of three hundred and eighty-six (386) suspects arrested in connection with some of the seizures. While twenty-two (22) people were convicted for committing different Customs offences.
Prominent among the seizures but not limited to the following are: -222,285 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (370 Trailer loads), 1,140,864 Litres of premium motor spirit (33 Tankers), 16,432.30kg of Indian Hemp, 26,303 pieces of used pneumatic tyres11,175, Bales of used clothes, 751x 70mm of live cartridges, 12,912 cartons of foreign frozen poultry products, 5,033 pieces of donkey skin, 450 x 106kg drums of carbide, 233 cartons x 225mg of tramadol, 7,640 cartons of expired and unapproved drugs, 303 Units of foreign used vehicles, 104 Haojue motorcycles.
The Unit recovered the sum of Two Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty-Six Million, Five Hundred and Fourty-Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira, Fourty-Eight Kobo N2,256,549,232.48 through the issuance of demand notices (D/N) due to transfer of value and wrong classification.
Let me use this medium to express my profound gratitude to compliant traders, importers and agents for being patriotic and sincere in their declarations, and for being compliant with the extant Customs procedures.
My gratitude also goes to patriotic members of the public for providing useful and timely information that aided the success of some of our operations.
While responding , the new Controller of the unit, Compt Oladeji eulogized Ejibunu, saying they have been working as twins in all things.
He said as his course mate, sometimes providence made them to sit together even while writing their examinations.
According to him, he took over from Ejibunu in Abuja as officer in charge of Strike force and same thing is repeating itself here.
He stated that people should not judge him by his facial looks as his face does not show how his heart is. According to him, he will ensure the three mandates of the service— revenue generation, anti smuggling and trade facilitation are prosecuted.
He pledged to work with media men to ensure that the operations of the unit are fully executed, pleading that journalists should endeavour to come around to confirm information before publishing.
Oladeji promised to run an open administration, vowing in the name of God that he will be fare to all in all his actions.