Gambo: Leading The Charge On Border Security and Trade Facilitation

Insists on Zero Tolerance Against Smuggling

 

“When it comes to national Security and Legitimate Trade, there is no room for compromise. We protect legitimate traders, saboteurs are the ones on the run even when no one is pursuing them; they  flee when they realize that they fail our compliance scrutiny”

 

That’s how Comptroller Aliyu Gambo, Comptroller,  Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Lagos, began the conversation when the Maritime Nigeria crew of Kelvin Kagbare, Maurice Nnate and Kester Okolie had a chanced interview with him in his office at Ikeja recently. We were able to look at some salient issues affecting border security, legitimate trade and Customs operations within Zone A and beyond:

Operational encumbrances and attitudinal behavioral pattern of traders:

From our experience and observations, traders are universally inclined towards profit making. As Customs officers, we are not against traders making profit. What we frown at is making profit at the detriment of citizens and not minding the national implications. Our duty is to implement the fiscal policies of the federal government. The list of prohibited items on the import/export categories are clear and available. Any trader who is in doubt can contact any Customs Command nearest to him/her for clarification and guidance. The Customs in Lagos, Owerri, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Kebbi, anywhere in Nigeria are the same. It is one Nigeria Customs Service so there is no excuse on access to information or lack of awareness on the part of traders on trade rules and regulations.

 

Anti-Smuggling and Traders Education

We do not delight in hurting traders by impounding their goods. We have numerous traders’ enlightenment and information outlets in the country. The print and electronics media are filled with Customs stories everyday-all of which are provided to inform, guide and educate traders on trade modalities. The rules are not complicated. The undoing of many traders is greed and the tendency to want to over profit from a single transaction. They say little drops of water makes a mighty ocean. Today’s traders are averse to this time tested principle of a little at a time, they want to make all the money at once, they call it “cash out”,…yes, that’s a modern parlance for avarice and get-rich-quick mentality which is driving traders to circumventing the rules. There is nothing more rewarding than being compliant and abiding by laid down trade rules.

 

Seizures and Recoveries

 

Our job is a tough one. It is what we signed up for and we are committed to carrying out our duties  professionally and diligently without compromise. We have no enemies, all traders are our friends and partners; only those who think cutting corners is their means of making profit have us to contend with because we will not let them endanger the lives of citizens.

Recent Seizures and Operational Outcomes

In recent months, we have intercepted over 150 smuggling attempts worth over N300bn in Duty Paid Value, DPV.  12 trailer loads of foreign rice, 21 used vehicles, 3,362 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 20,700 litres of PMS, and 3,029 parcels of synthetic cannabis “Ghanaian Loud” weighing 1,431kg are among items impounded by officers of Zone A.

By the end of the second quarter, our seizures have crossed N7bn as we enforce our zero-tolerance stance on smuggling with the deployment of technology, improved collaborations, expanded intelligence network  and a highly motivated team of officers-thanks to the CGC who continues to provide us operational logistics equipment and support.

Like i said before “When it comes to national Security and Legitimate Trade, there is no room for compromise. We protect legitimate traders, saboteurs are our targets and victims when they fail our compliance scrutiny”

 

Border Patrol/Surveillance

Our gallant officers are on patrol round the clock.  Our surveillance systems and monitoring units/patrol teams in collaboration with sister agencies and partners are very vigilant across our border towns and trade routes. Our plea is for traders to come to us whenever they have doubts or issues that bother them.  We are ever ready to support and guide them properly.