Dikko’s War Against Smuggling

Posted by admin Headlines Saturday, June 11th, 2011

The Nigerian economy has over the years suffered from the activities of smugglers, which almost resulted in the near collapse of its industrial sector.

The continuous influx of prohibited items into the country by some unscrupulous traders left the local manufacturing sector helpless as many Nigerians craving for foreign goods, preferred to patronise the illegally imported goods rather than the made-in-Nigeria products.

But in his determination to reverse the trend, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi, has left no stone unturned in combating this menace. He has employed all means possible to ensure that all loopholes in the system are plugged in order to achieve a desired result.

In doing this, Dikko has put in place improved welfare packages as an incentive to boost the morale of his men, recruited fresh men to fill the generational gap in the service, acquired modern and sophisticated anti-smuggling patrol equipment, and collaborated with all relevant security agencies while also vowing not to fail to use any corrupt officer within the service as a ‘scape goat’ to serve as deterrent to others who aid and abet smuggling.

Dikko, who recently went on a working visit to some Northern States including Borno Jigawa, Kano and Katsina, stressed that as Nigeria continued to grow its democratic practice, the need for all security agencies to collaborate and share intelligence to achieve greatness could not be over emphasised. He made the assertion while addressing a combined team of security agencies after commissioning a new block of six flats and renovated barracks in Maigatari Border Station in Jigawa State, as part of his welfare scheme for officers and men in all the Customs commands.

The CGC was at the station in continuation of his second-leg visit within six months to Kano, Jigawa and Katsina commands after the first visit revealed dilapidation in infrastructures, necessitating the repairs and construction of new ones.

It would be recalled that after his first visit to all Customs commands upon his assumption of office, a visibly emotional Dikko then lamented “my men live in squalors.”

He also commended the officers and men of the command for the seizure of military wears few days to the general elections, items, which would have been used by some enemies of democracy to disguise as security personnel.

While in Kano, the CGC visited five Excise Factories whch are beneficiaries of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to ensure that the Negotiable Duty Credit Certificates (NDCC) was being properly utilised. The factories are Lee Group, producers of foot wear, Unique Leather, Mamuda Leather, Kano Tannery and Fata, all of which are in the tannery business.

While commending the federal government for such concession which has resulted in employment for thousands of Nigerians and boosted the nation’s economy, the Customs boss charged the operators to adhere strictly to the terms of the NDCC in the interest of the nation.

In his response, the sectoral chairman of the textile wearing apparel, carpet leather and foot wears products, Alhaji Salisu Umar, who welcomed the visit of the CGC commended his untiring efforts at reforming all aspects of customs operations. He said the visit provided their members the opportunity to hear directly from the high command of the service and share ideas which would go a long way in putting all stakeholders in check to always do things right.

Alhaji Umar, while thanking the federal government for such incentives, restated the readiness of NDCC operators to comply with all the terms and conditions of concession.

Accompanied on the trip by DCG John Atte, DCG Salisu Argugun and three Assistant Comptroller-Generals, Dikko also inspected the new scanners installed at Jibiya Border Station in Katsina State, with a charge to officers to ensure that no prohibited or contraband item is allowed to enter the country.

At the office of the Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema, Dikko and the entire service was commended for its critical contribution to the nation’s economy.

Further, as part of efforts to boost the capacity of field operatives to effectively comb the border line and crack down on smugglers, the Service recently acquired 306 Hilux patrol vehicles, and according to its National Deputy Public Relations Officer, the aquisation was aimed at “giving smugglers a run for their money.”

The anti-smuggling strategy of the CGC also led to the recent inauguration of the special team, code-named, “Operation Cinnaka.”

Series of seizures with duty paid value running into several millions of naira have been reported nationwide since November 2010, when the special team was inaugurated by the Customs boss. The team comprises undercover anti-smuggling agents who provide intelligence reports that usually lead to the seizures.

Recently, coordinator of the North-West Zone “Operation Cinnaka,” Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Hassan Shallangwa, while showing journalists round some seized items, attributed the seizure to improved confidence of his men, following the provision of sophisticated patrol materials by the Service headquarters.

He noted that with the existing structure of tight check and balance in Customs operations, “Smuggling is becoming almost impossible,” even as he warned those who still engage in it to desist from it or be ready to count their losses, apart from the risk of a jail term.

Dikko, who upon assumption of office, averred that a total overhaul of the service would depend largely on a motivational welfare scheme, capable of driving the men to the peak of their abilities in the discharge of their duty, especially as it concerns revenue generation, based on which the performance of the NCS is assessed by the federal government, could not have chosen a better strategy.

The Customs boss, who then admitted that there were some corrupt officers in the system, who sabotage the efforts of the Service, maintained that an improved welfare package would go a long way in tackling the menace. He also insisted that any officer found engaging in unpatriotic act, would be shown the way out.

The service under his administration has completed and commissioned its Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja, purchased 120 units of 3-bedroom duplexes in Kuje, for its senior officers, while efforts are on to acquire land for a housing estate for junior officers. But in the mean time, a massive rehabilitation of its barracks nationwide is ongoing.

Of the 87 capital projects for 2010, 21 of them, it was learnt, are concentrated on renovation of Customs barracks across the country and the building of senior staff quarters, while a large number of the remaining figure is focused on the provision of health centres.

The service under Dikko’s watch also successfully completed the recruitment of 5,000 men in 2009, to fill the gap of aging and retired officers. It has also begun the process of recruiting another 2,000 men to fill some existing spaces in order to position the service to meet and possibly surpass the expectations of Nigerians as well as that of the government.

According to Dikko, the war against smuggling is on, and it would continue until the Nigerian economy was rid of smuggled goods, noting that this would help shore-up the much desired revenue for the nation.

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