The Ogun Area I Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that its work goes beyond chasing smugglers of rice and poultry products explaining that its mandate covers wider responsibilities including revenue collection, inter-agency collaboration, and the protection of Nigeria against harmful importations.
The Ogun 1 Area Command Controller, Comptroller Godwin Otunla made this known on Thursday while receiving the delegates of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ogun State Council led by the Council Chairman, Comrade Akinwale Olarenwaju
Otunla while speaking, called for stronger collaboration with the media to better sensitize the public on the broader responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service rather than the public having a negative impression seeing the Customs through the lens of rice and poultry seizures,noting that the agency is a critical institution in revenue mobilization, anti-smuggling intelligence, and border security.
He also urged journalists to help project the image of the customs so as to create a balanced public perception.
The Controller disclosed that since his assumption of office in April, the Command has made a total of 144 seizures, including the interception of 7,151 wraps of cannabis and other hard drugs.
He also added that the Command has generated ₦121,886,398 in revenue within the period, attributing the achievements to intelligence-driven operations and the effort of his officers.
Otunla explained that seizures are properly documented and accounted for, with poultry products destroyed for health reasons, while items such as rice are delivered as palliatives to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the discretion of the Federal Government.
While speaking on the challenges facing his command, the Controller lamented the lack of electricity supply in Idiroko, describing it as a major setback to the command’s operation despite investment in the latest technological equipment for their operations.
He noted that the Command runs a standard clinic that is open to the public and also manages primary and secondary schools that provide affordable quality education for children in the border area.
In their separate remarks, other senior officers warned Nigerians to beware of fraudsters who use the names and pictures of Customs officers to promote fake auction schemes on social media, clarifying that the Service does not auction rice or other items as often portrayed online, therefore urged members of the public to remain vigilant against such scams.
Earlier speaking, the Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Wale Olarenwaju, commended the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service for its relentless efforts in safeguarding Nigeria’s borders, curbing contraband, and boosting the nation’s economy.
Comrade Olarenwaju described Customs’ work as vital to national security and development, assuring that journalists in the state are committed to partnering with the Service through balanced reporting, regular media engagement, and amplification of Customs’ activities for greater public awareness.
The NUJ chairman reiterated the importance of sustaining a cordial relationship between customs and host communities, urging continued efforts to build trust, reduce tensions, and promote peace around the border areas.
Comrade Olarenwaju, therefore, pledged that the union would continue to serve as a bridge between the service and the public in order to deepen transparency and foster mutual understanding
