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… As Command Rakes in N24.4b in 2025 Half Year
By Bon Peters
The Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Customs Service Zone C Headquarters Port Harcourt, ACG SK Dangladima has charged the officers and men of the Akwa Ibom/Calabar Command of the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure the facilitation of legitimate trade, revenue generation, as well as suppression of smuggling activities within their area of service.
Dangladima gave the charge Thursday at the Customs Command in Calabar, the Cross River State capital during a two-day working visit to Customs formations in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
The Customs Zone C boss emphasized the importance of his visit, even as he insisted that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has instructed all the ACGs not to sit in office, but to move round, feel the pulse of the officers and men, interact with critical stakeholders, find out their challenges with the view to fostering unity, collaboration and synergy among the stakeholders in all their commands.
His words; “I’m here to familiarize with you, interact with you and our stakeholders, feel your pulse and discuss your challenges with a view to solving them.”
He reiterated the need for synergy and collaboration among the commands and their stakeholders, noting that as Customs officers, their main responsibility is to facilitate legitimate trade, stop revenue leakages, generate revenue to the Federal Government and importantly suppress smuggling.
Dangladima, who also emphasized the essence of interpersonal relationship, said officers and men should imbibe the spirit of self discipline and mutual respect for one another stressing that the image they portray before the public would go a long way in putting the Service in a good or bad light.
On the issue of promotion, he restated that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has zero tolerance for examination results manipulation in relation to promotion exercise, as he has taken it upon himself to ensure transparency in the process.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller CG Ogbonna expressed satisfaction with the ACG’s visit, insisting that it was a morale booster for his officers and men and also an avenue to interact with stakeholders.
Showcasing successes recorded by his men, he said the command made significant achievement in revenue generation, exports, and suppression of smuggling.
On revenue generation, Comptroller Ogbonna said his command generated twenty-four billion, four hundred and thirteen million, seven hundred and seventy thousand, sixty one naira (N24, 413,770,061.00) only in the first half of 2025, representing about 53% of the 2025 target.
This achievement, according to him “is attributed to effective synergy with critical stakeholders, improved operational strategies and optimal enforcement of the extant laws.”
The breakdown of the revenue generated was as follows:
Tinapa Tourist and Resort FTZ: In 2023, sixteen million, six hundred and forty thousand, fifty-nine naira (N16,640,059.00) only collected as revenue.
Comptroller Ogbonna however noted that “In 2024 when I took over as the Customs Area Controller (CAC), we improved the revenue to two hundred and twenty-on million, four hundred and forty thousand, two hundred and nine naira (N221, 440,209.00) only.”
He described this feat as a magnificent increase compared to revenue collected in previous years.
Exports
Comptroller Ogbonna said the command carried out exports of both non-oil and oil products during the period of January to June 2025 and recorded a volume of forty-three thousand and twenty-eight (43,028) packages and forty-two thousand (42,000) cartons of various products which have been exported out of the country from the Export Processing Zone, Calabar Free Trade Zone.
Also, one million, eight hundred and sixteen thousand, eight hundred and fifty-six (1,816,856) cartons of various products have been exported out of the country from Tinapa Tourist & Resort FTZ.
Additionally, fifty-three million, eleven thousand and twenty-one (53,011,021) barrels were lifted in fifty-four (54) vessels according to Federal Government allocation from Qua-Iboe Terminal (QIT), operated as a joint Venture between SEPLAT and NNPC/MPNU.
Suppression of Smuggling
Comptroller Ogbonna said that “in our quest to suppress smuggling, the command has made the following remarkable interception/seizures:
“In March 2025, the command at the Mfum Border Station intercepted parts of animals discovered to be Endangered species which include Parrot heads (213 pcs), Parrots feathers (29 packs), African Hornbill birds (128 pcs), Chimpanzee heads (2 pcs), Chimpanzee legs (4 pcs), Chimpanzee hands (4 pcs), Eagle heads (5 pcs) and Eagle feathers (1 pack) alongside a suspect of which the matter is still in court.
“In April 2025, also “sixty-five (65) gallons of 25 liters each of PMS and 12 bales, 3 sacks of second-hand clothing were intercepted and seized.
“Still in April 2025, illicit pharmaceutical products (659 units) were intercepted by the officers of the command and was later handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Headquarters instruction,” he said.
The Comptroller added that the command also made a seizure of Pangolin scales (4 bags) weighing (119.4kg) in June 2025; with two (2) suspects undergoing prosecution process, even as he attributed the achievements through intelligence provided by the CIU and effective border patrols by the customs gallant officers.
Trade Facilitation
Comptroller Ogbonna noted that the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) known as B’ Odogwu was lunched and is now operational at the Command. He insisted that as a milestone, the command’s first SGD was successfully captured, assessed and payment made on 17 June, 2025 under, 05CA, using the B’ Odogwu system.
He described the introduction of B’Odogwu as a significant step towards modernization and efficiency in the clearance procedures, adding that both the officers of the command and stakeholders have undergone a comprehensive training and sensitization, to ensure effective utilization of the platform.
He expressed commitment to optimizing the platform’s benefits to enhance the operations and service delivery of his command.
To ensure discipline, Comptroller Ogbonna said that the command has maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct, corruption and substance abuse within the rank and file, adding that it has been a standard practice in his command that any officer found culpable is made to face the appropriate disciplinary sanction.
On adherence to the CGC’s mandate on collaboration, Comptroller Ogbonna said his command as a member of the State Security Council is working and collaborating with other security agencies in the state such as the Military, Police, NSCDC, Immigration, the DSS and others to combat trans-border crimes of smuggling and illegal migration, as well as providing security in the state, even as he said in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility the command had drilled a borehole at Ajassor Community, Etung LGA; serving the host community by providing clean water for the community’s consumption.
Challenges
He however listed some of the challenges facing the command to include: Underutilization of Calabar Sea Port, Port’s shallow channel and inability to accommodate large cargo vessels which he said it is almost impossible for importers to bring consignment through the port. Others are inconsistent power supply as a result of bad public transformer and constant increase in electricity tariff.
He disclosed that the command has written to the headquarters requesting for an urgent installation of transformer and installation of solar system to reduce the use of public electricity and increment of the monthly electricity bill from headquarters.
Also, he noted that the crisis in Cameroon has resulted to instability and insecurity due to the persistent conflicts between the Government of Cameroon and the Ambazonian separatists, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty in the region, thus impacting negatively and disrupting trade flow between the neighbouring African country and Nigeria particularly in the affected border regions.
He further noted that the shortage of officers is affecting his command even as he said that the command has only two Deputy Comptrollers and three Assistant Comptrollers, insisting that the command needs junior officers.
The Area Controller said his command has demonstrated remarkable performance in terms of revenue collection, suppression of smuggling and trade facilitation, describing it as a testament of the dedication and hard work of the gallant officers and men of the command who are up and doing.
He however noted the challenge of inadequate number of junior officers which he said is badly affecting operational activities in the command, while expressing optimism over junior staff deployment even as he expressed gratitude, and congratulations, to the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC BA ADENIYI who was recently elevated as the Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council.
He described the achievement as timely and deserving and expressed belief that CGC’s expertise and pragmatic leadership style in that capacity would improve the NCS’s efforts in facilitating trade, enforcing regulations, and promoting national development.
ANLCA Calabar Chapter
In his contribution, the ANLCA Calabar chapter chairman, Dr Uche Ohaegbuchi commended ACG SK Dangladima on his visit. Ohaegbuchi said Dangladima’s visit has offered him and his members including other stakeholders the opportunity for personal interaction with the Customs Zone C boss.
The ANLCA chieftain regretted the state of the ITU /Calabar road and the shallow draft of the Calabar River which he said have impacted negatively on clearing and forwarding business. He however called on the relevant authorities to expedite action on construction of the road as well as dredging the river.
Commenting on the Comptroller’s performance since assumption of office, he said “I will score Comptroller Ogbonna 80,%. He has really done well in terms of stakeholders engagement, revenue generation and suppression of smuggling.”
He enjoined his members to be patient and law abiding, noting that with ACG Dangladima’s visit, things will improve for better.
Other places visited include Liberty Oli and Gas Free Trade Zone, Akwa Ibom State, Calabar Free Trade Zone, Authority. Tinapa Business Resort among others.
Present at the occasion were representatives of Liberty Oil And Gas Free Trade Zone Authority, Mr Ashok Suvarna and Mr Kumar; Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones, Hajia Binta Saeed, representing Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authorities and Dr Francis Ekom, Manager Tinapa Business Resort. Others include representatives of MWUN, ANLCA, bonded terminal operators among others.
