…. Zone C Seizes Items Worth Over N7BN Under Outgoing Compt. Kayode
ZAINAB JUNAID
Comptroller Michael Ugbagu has assumed office as the 28th Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit zone C (FOUC) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Owerri, after taking over from his predecessor, Comptroller Kayode Kolade in a simple ceremony in Owerri, on Friday.
The new Comptroller appreciated the Comptroller-General of Customs; Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his entire management team, for the trust and confidence bestowed on him to pilot the affairs of the Unit.
He equally thanked Comptroller Kolade for his highly commendable achievements while he held sway and pledged continued compliance with established guidelines while discharging his duties.
“We will ensure compliance with the current import and export guidelines using intelligence and technology to drive our operations.
“There will be a watertight security against smuggling activities across the zone. Smugglers will be discouraged, frustrated and made uncomfortable, thereby making smuggling, duty evasion and warehousing of smuggled goods unattractive within the zone.
“This is an onerous responsibility and I will not let the Service down,” he said.
He also called for support and cooperation from the media and the general public to enable him carry out his new assignment.
Meanwhile in his farewell message, the outgoing Comptroller Kayode Kolade disclosed that Zone C has seized contrabands worth N7,577,259,390.00 between January 25th, 2024 and April 19th, 2024.
Kayode also praised the Comptroller-General of Customs; Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and his entire management team, for the trust and confidence bestowed on him to serve as Comptroller FOUC and for replacing him with Ugbagu, “a thorough enforcement guru.
His words, “I am grateful to the Comptroller-General of Customs; Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and his entire management team, for the trust and confidence bestowed on me from January 25th 2023 to April 19th 2024 as I handover the affairs of this unit to another amiable Comptroller Michael Ugbagu, who is also a thorough enforcement guru”.
He appreciated officers of the unit for their unparalleled support, commitment, dedication, handwork and prayers, adding that their support was the reason for his successes.
Highlighting the seizures made, he said, “With all your support and cooperation, the Unit within my tenure was able to make substantial and spectacular seizures ; totaling 198 seizures with a duty paid value of Seven Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy-seven Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety Naira only (N7,577,259,390.00) derived from five sacks of Pangolin scales weighing 413.1kg worth N523,356,390; 1,813 bags of 50KG each of foreign parboiled rice worth N105, 105,000.00; 815 SACKS of Cannabis Sativa weighing 17,950KG and 2,935 PARCELS (1KG EACH) weighing 2,935kg (TOTALING 20,885KG) worth N1,670,800,000.00.
“Although FOU Zone C is not a revenue-generating Unit, under my watch and based on interventions to checkmate the activities of fraudulent agents at the seaports, lots of lost revenues were recovered to the tune of One Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, Eight Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Naira only (NN155,819,714.00.) within my 15 months in office” he stressed.
Comptroller Kayode also reconstructed and equipped a clinic at the Unit’s office, in Owerri, where officers and men, as well as members of the host community enjoy free health care services administered by the unit’s qualified medical personnel.
He however called on everyone to extend same support and cooperation to his successor, Comptroller Micheal Ugbagu as he pilots the affairs of the unit and wished him well.
