Comptroller Balogun Declares Zero Tolerance for Smuggling in South East
Comptroller Bishir Abdullahi Balogun, the new Controller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’ Owerri, has vowed to crack down on smuggling, blockade revenue leakages, and boost revenue generation. He made this commitment while hosting stakeholders from the TINAPA free trade zone at the Unit’s headquarters in Owerri.
Balogun commended the stakeholders for their efforts in generating revenue for the service and Nigeria. He emphasized that smugglers will have no hiding place under his watch, as he’s determined to carry out his mandates.
Under Balogun’s leadership, the Unit will focus on anti-smuggling operations, trade facilitation, revenue protection, and national security. He’s committed to operating an open-door policy, encouraging collaboration with officers, sister agencies, and host communities.
The Comptroller also stressed the importance of importers and exporters being familiar with prohibited items and those allowed for importation. He warned that smuggling is an economic sabotage that undermines the government’s efforts to promote local production and employment.
Comptroller Balogun was of the view that with the security situation around the globe, there were concerted efforts to nip the smuggling of small arms and light weapons in the bud.
According to him, the service is not unaware of the incidence of illegal importation of drugs including tramadol, cannabis sativa etcetera, which is injurious to the lives of the youths , noting that his Unit has designed intelligence-driven strategies to nab those who smuggle and patronize this ugly trade.
The FOU ‘C’ helmsman pointed out that the Unit will build on the legacies of the Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, by sustaining the three major mandates of the service as regards plugging revenue leakages, enforcement and trade facilitation (in this regard legitimate trade) into the country.
Charging his workforce to up the tempo of their operations, he advised that there would be no room for any offence against discipline, adding that they should redouble their efforts to meet the expectations of the Comptroller General who has provided needed logistics for the Unit to work and excel.
He stated that operational strategies will be constantly reworked in a bid to take steps ahead of economic saboteurs towards defeating the game of concealment, false declaration, under payment of duty and importation of illicit drugs.
“As we battle with smugglers, our eagle eyes will not be letting go of duty evasion too. In doing this, we are constantly encouraged by the manpower and logistics being provided by the Comptroller General”.
Comptroller Balogun deposed that the unparalleled efforts that will be injected into the Unit’s operation henceforth, in terms of seizure profile, recoveries, and arrests would serve as a deterrent to overzealous smugglers and duty evaders.
He said his Unit will make life unbearable for unrepentant smugglers, stressing that ‘any attempt to violate the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Act 2023, which is an enabling legislation will be met with total resistance on the part of smugglers and duty evaders’.
He noted that the Unit’s 24-hour round -the -clock patrols has been rejigged for efficiency, while enlisting the cooperation of stakeholders towards protecting the nation’s economy through legitimate trade.
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