Borno and Yobe Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has pledged stronger collaboration with sister agencies in the area, describing synergy among security agencies as crucial in defeating criminality and banditry in the Northern part of the country.
Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Muhammed Danja Malah, stressed that under his watch, the command will promote national security while restating his commitment to implementing duty collection in line with Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023
He stated this after completing a familiarization tour of sister security agencies where he canvassed regular intelligence sharing and continuous collaboration, noted that it has become important to foster oneness in the task to secure the country and curb illegalities like smuggling.
Describing all government military and paramilitary agencies as children of same parents, he added that the operational peculiarities of Borno and Yobe states as well as the entire North East region of the country necessitate operational harmony at all times.
Malah, who assumed office on February 21, 2024, commenced the visits on March 6, 2024 where he met with the Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, Operation ‘Hadin Kai’, Acting Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Borno Sector Command, Commissioner of Police, Borno State Command, Director Department of State Service (DSS) Borno State, Air component Commander, Operation ‘Hadin Kai’ and Zonal Commander, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Maiduguri Zonal Command.
Others visited are the Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Borno State Command, Controller Correctional Services, State Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner of ICPC and paid homage to the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness,Shehu Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.
He commended heads of various agencies and traditional rulers for their past cooperation with the service and reassured them that he will build on the gains of the past to achieve more robust relationships.
During a visit to the Maiduguri plant of Nigeria Bottling Company Limited, Malah said provisions of the NCS Act 2023 relating to excise duty collection will be fully implemented.
As part of his familiarisaton tour, the Controller visited the Executive Secretary of Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) to ascertain the status and secure papers for customs properties in Borno State. He also established contact with the Surveyor General of the State on the same issue.
Meanwhile, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has deployed Comptroller Tenny Mankini Daniyan to the Port Terminal Multiservices Limited Command (PTML) as Customs Area Controller following the recent elevation of the immediate past CAC, Saidu Abba Yusuf to Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) of Customs.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the weekend, Comptroller Daniyan promised to fully implement the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023 by ensuring maximum revenue collection and enhanced trade facilitation.
Addressing officers and stakeholders, Daniyan said the command will step up strategies to prevent revenue leakages in the drive to achieve government economic goals through the NCS and promised to leverage his long standing experience and robust interaction he garnered from the PTML over the years where he had served as Deputy Comptroller (DC) of revenue.
On trade facilitation, he urged stakeholders to be compliant by making sincere declarations and paying their duties on time to build a track record of integrity if they must enjoy the many opportunities being created by the CGC.
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In line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, Comptroller Daniyan promised to build on the existing customs community relations through regular stakeholder engagements and promote other programmes like the Time Release Study (TRS).
He said the command will work to achieve migration of compliant stakeholders to the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status and guide them on how to benefit from the Advanced Ruling scheme already put in place by the CGC.
On his part, ACG Yusuf thanked the CGC for the morale boosting leadership he has been providing for the NCS and described his successor as a very competent officer that will take the command higher in all areas.
He expressed optimism that all the achievements recorded under him will be surpassed under Daniyan. He also described the deployments being made by the CGC as strategic and properly thought out
The ACG Yusuf, who has assumed duties at the Human Resources Department of the NCS Headquarters, also solicited for increased cooperation of all the importers, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders and the management of Grimaldi with the new CAC.
