…Redeeming the decades of negative public perception
By Taupyen Selechang
Seme border over the years is a household name considered to be the only International land border that contributes substantially to the country’s socio-economic development. These historical facts are corroborated by the statistical documentation of economic activities that have thrived through the Lagos-Abidjan corridor both in terms of human and vehicular movements.
Being a renowned border that links most of the West African Countries within the sub-region, and its pivotal role in the economic development of Nigeria and West Africa at large, it is a known fact that the corridor has attracted both legitimate international and local travelers across the frontier, this international attraction is also accompanied with its dare consequences of illicit and illegal activities like smuggling, drug trafficking, human immigration/trafficking, terrorism and money laundering amongst others.
Unfortunately, on this part of the climes, Seme border which is an approved international route was known and seen over the years by the public for its negative trans-border crimes than the legitimate means of trade transaction, movement of people and the link it has with other West African Countries.
Globally, the Customs Administration of any member country coordinated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) is strategically deployed to the seaport, airport and land borders of all member countries as an institution to execute its mandates (revenue generation, suppression of smuggling and trade facilitation among others) of which Nigeria is not an exception.
As a global phenomenon where Customs are the custodians of all the entry points to a country, the international designation has led to the Customs Administration of each member country playing leading role when it comes to the management of all the entry points, especially in terms of their statutory responsibilities.
This hitherto has caused the misguided perception of some averagely enlightened and the ignorant within the public domain, that all activities and other engagements emanating from the entry points be it legal or illegal are orchestrated by the Nigerian Customs Service.
The same negative perception about the service has eroded the public mindset over Seme border not minding the fact that an efficient border management is a factor of effective collaboration with all the relevant border security agencies of any country, hence despite the leading role of the customs at any seaport, airports or land borders, they can’t operate in isolation.
However, this write up intends to address the recent dynamics at the Seme command of the Nigeria Customs Service which is a direct reflection of integrity, professional due diligence and ethical standards.
The Customs Area Controller of Seme Command, Compt. Mohammed Aliyu A seems to be operating in strict adherence to the reform agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Ibrahim Hammed Ali Rtd. This is evident as his operational strategies are determinedly within the service mandate with the nation’s security in mind. The command has also succeeded in stemming the impunity and the flagrant abuse of the Federal Government policies by ardent smugglers, who used to operate at the border with dexterity and reckless abandon at the risk of officers lives.
A well-known traveler through the corridor will bear witness to the fact that smuggling is being confronted head long and there is no room for impunity in illegalities among saboteurs at Seme route now. The total and aggressive compliance level in the enforcement of relevant government policies is a thing of admiration in the command as seizures of different contrabands are reeled in to the warehouse in a perpetual manner.
These exceptional performances within the country are felt in other countries as the command’s collaborative effort within the sub-region wax stronger daily. The synergy has yielded an unprecedented feat in the arrest of many items including over fifty stolen exotic cars at Republic of Cote d’Ivoire under the Interpol collaboration. If this performance could necessitate a commendation letter from the Cote d’Ivoire government to the Comptroller General of Customs as a way of appreciating the synergy at the regional level to rid of cross-border crimes, it is worthy of note that the Nigeria Customs Service is undergoing a positive metamorphosis that deserves the commendations of its citizenry than mere criticism borne out of selfish reasons from the Nigerian public.
The command is always gathering classified intelligence on the berthing of some consignments in the neighboring countries that are prohibited and restricted into Nigeria, and targeting Nigeria as her final destination. Our strategies to work on such information are only disclosed when the information are effectively treated. The command therefore remains resolute in the enforcement of the Federal government policies across the frontier. The surveillance of the command over the year has led to the arrest of over thirty two thousand bags (32,000) of smuggled rice with a duty paid value of over ₦530,000,000:00 attest to the command’s uncompromising stand to working in conformity to the current reforms of the CGC.
As a revenue generating institution of the Federal government, the border command apart from enforcing government fiscal policies have generated the sum of ₦1,576,153,186.40 into the Federal government coffers, which represent 78% of the monthly revenue target allocated to the command from January to March. The command has also made a total of 270 seizures with a duty paid value of ₦235,648,447.00 for the same period under review.
It could be recalled that there was a smugglers’ ‘’wonder car’’ from the headquarters customs crew that was trending in the social media, with concealment of smuggled goods with a duty paid value of over 40 million naira emanated from Seme border. It is pertinent to note that this dangerous concealment (amongst others) is routinely intercepted at the Seme axis.
Changing the public perception towards its workforce is a task the present leadership is instilling among its officers and in the modus operandi of the service to comply with international best practice, considering the fact that the corridor is a gateway to the most populated black country in Africa, hence the need for international travelers to be treated with dignity, high degree of respect, transparency and professionalism.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command is conscious of this fundamental fact which has guided the way officers are deployed, to be strictly dependent on the training experience of the officers in order to curb with the public domain, an average traveler is therefore expected to meet with an enlightened customs officer along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor who is expected to be exemplary in discipline, approach and human relationship, this is because every trained officer is expected to be an embodiment of all the seven operational golden Cs that will help him to be articulate in courtesy and responsible while on duty.
It is therefore not out of place to say, Seme border in the eye of the public is undergoing a positive metamorphosis despite the fact that often times few recalcitrant officers are always seen among the committed and patriotic ones.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command made bold to say that discipline permeate the highway among its officers now, while cross border crimes is abhorred among officers who are ready to do the right thing. We therefore enjoin the public to change their perception as the approved border is meant for legitimate trade and not smuggling activities. We enjoined Nigerians who know their right and are not smugglers to challenge that officer who is seen doing the wrong thing, as this will not only be a collaborative effort but also help the service to fight smuggling along the international route through Seme border.
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