The Customs Area Con
troller, Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Yusuf Umar, has reiterated his commitment to stop the nefarious activities of smugglers within his jurisdiction.
Speaking with The Tide in Lagos, Umar said the negative impact of smuggling on the economy cannot be allowed to continue if genuine business men and women are to reap from their investments.
“With the selfless leadership shown by the Comptroller General, Dr. Abdulahi Inde Dikko, we at Western Marine have decided to re-dedicate ourselves to duty and compliment the efforts of the CGC. We are telling smugglers, to stop smuggling because we shall not stop until they (smugglers) stop”.
Asked how he has been able to achieve so much, Umar replied, “We are following the examples of our leader, the Controller-General. We have learned how to manage the resources at our disposal, motivated officers and men of the service and they in appreciation have no option but to deliver.
“Customs has changed. The Customs of today is energized, highly motivated, trained, focused and inspired to deliver. No officer has any excuse not to do what is expected”
“The battle against smugglers, Umar stated is not a personal battle but a national service aimed at ensuring safety of lives of Nigerians. If smuggling is not checked, Umar declared, the economy would suffer, lives could be lost to take drugs  and un-employment  as industry would likely close shop and substandard goods that smugglers try to bring into the country”.
On how he copes with the challenges and pressures that come with the job, the Customs boss posited that, “every profession has its hazards”
“On assumption of office for effective operations, he has comprehensively refurbished seven abandoned boats in the command’s fleet including purchase of engines for 3 double-engine boats thereby making them safer and more reliable on water. Five Toyota Hilux patrol vans have also been refurbished. The CGC has also provided two world class bullet-proof gun boats, each equipped with 3 generators and  with speed of about 28.5 nautical which makes them the fastest in West Africa.
Officers and men have also been trained on the use of AK 47 riffles, a more sophisticated gun than that of the smugglers.
He noted that,” modern communication gadgets and capacity to stay up to 30 days comfortably on high sea with about 26 men. With these levels of commitments from the management, the job is much easier and result-oriented.
The Area Controller while speaking on a seizure made reaffirmed the command’s resolve to protect the nation’s economy and security always by deploying all logistics and personnel of the command to forestall any attempt to smuggle, evade duty, and under declare imports.
“Our men are up to the task and will rise to any challenges aimed at undermining our presence on the water ways. We have deployed all the logistics provided for our use by the headquarters and our personnel have been mandated to reinvigorate our round the clock patrols with the bullet proof boats and vehicles provided for us by the Customs management.
He continued, “Our men are out to justify the trust and confidence reposed on us by not compromising our positions no matter the degree of blackmails and inducement which are antics of persons perpetrating illegality,” Umar said.
He explained further that plans are on going to organize a stakeholders forum to sensitize various industry players on the ills of smuggling and the need to prevent a situation when their communities are used as storage or transit base for smugglers and other perpetrators of trans-border illegalities.
It was revealed that investigation are ongoing to track down persons connected with the seized wooden boat load of rice and get them prosecuted which will be a signal to all smuggling barons and sponsors of this anti economic acts to take a caution.
He said the value of the above 2000 bags of parboiled rice was yet to be ascertained by Customs Valuation Unit of the Command.
Meanwhile, three Officers of the Command namely, Senu Suru Mark, Rasaq Muhammed Jamiu and Musa Ibrahim Idris sustained various degree of injuries when they were attacked by dire hard smugglers as they fought gallantly to ferry the giant boat and its contents.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos