Acting CGC Adeniyi: An Encouraging New Era In Nigeria Customs Service

By Tunde Umar

The Nigeria Customs Service has witnessed a refreshing and encouraging transformation since the appointment of Acting Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR. The reception he has received from well-wishers and the impressive results achieved under his leadership have been nothing short of remarkable.

Adeniyi’s tenure has breathed new life into the Customs Service, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie and success. His approach of engaging with various agencies, installations, and stakeholders has proven to be a winning strategy, leading to astonishing seizures in just a few weeks.

One of the notable stride was on 5th of July at Ports Terminal and Multi Services Limited Command where an examination of a 40ft container revealed a concealment of 10 dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside a plastic drum. These include: 3 new pump action rifles and one new unit of an armed rifle, 6 new different makes of pistols, 14 empty magazines and 442 rounds of live ammunition. The dutiful officers of the Enforcement Unit of the command ably led by Deputy Comptroller Ayo swung into action and intercepted immediately.

Similarly within the same period, the TinCan Island Port Command of the service, while acting on credible intelligence, the very versatile and proactive DC, Enforcement, GI Aliyu and his men subjected a 1×40ft container to 100 per cent physical examination. The examination uncovered 18 arms, packets of cartridges and rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums. The details are: six different makes of pistols, 12 different makes of riffles, 10 packets of cartridges, 2 packets of 9mm ammunition, 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition, one carton of Frontier cartridges and two packets of Buckshot ammunition.

Perhaps the deadliest of these seizures was credited to the vigilance of Chief Superintendent of Customs Dinya Sabo and his men of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, South West at Ajilete Checkpoint, Ogun Axis, a terrain which is notorious for dreadful smuggling activities and porosity of border routes.
During a routine patrol along Owode/ Ajilete axis of Ogun state the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on Wednesday 12, July 2023, intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal, was used to conceal three pump action riffles with 174 live cartridges.

The Joint Border Patrol Team whose intelligent gathering modality is always working round the clock and combing the bushes of Ogun State which span several kilometers.

It would be recalled that CSC Sabo as officer -in- charge of Lagos Operations shortly before being redeployed to Ogun Operations made a monumental and breathe taking seizure of 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice, petroleum products and means of conveyances along the Badagry Waters at Gbaji.

During his visit to Lagos, the Comptroller General of Customs who is known as a thorough officer has garnered unwavering loyalty, commitment, and support from Customs officers and stakeholders in the media and maritime sectors. Adeniyi’s engagement approach and strategic decision-making have indeed set the Nigeria Customs Service on a promising path.

Under his watch, the Service has experienced a wave of fresh enthusiasm and cooperation, culminating in commendable seizures and strengthened partnerships with relevant agencies and stakeholders. The future looks promising for the Nigeria Customs Service with Acting CGC Adeniyi at the helm, leading the way towards a safer and more secure nation.