Comptroller Michael Ugbagu takes over the mantle of leadership as the 28th Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C”, Owerri, Imo State as Comptroller Kayode Kolade bows out amidst encomiums
Jude Nzennaya Port Harcourt
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone “C” has said that it has seized contrabands worth N7,577,259,390.00 between January 25th, 2023 and April 19th, 2024 according to a press release signed by the Commands Public Relations Officer, CSC Jerry Attah.
Speaking at his handing over ceremony, Comptroller Kayode Kolade the out-gone Area Controller also confirmed the revenue record in his farewell message while handing over to his successor and new Comptroller of the Command, Comptroller Michael Ugbagu.
Kayode thanked 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 FOU Zone C, and for replacing him with Ugbagu, whom he referred to as, “a thoroughbred Enforcement guru”.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Kolade said, “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 Command to another amiable Comptroller, Michael Ugbagu, who is also a thoroughbred Enforcement guru”.
He thanked officers of the command for their unparalleled support, commitment, dedication, handwork and prayers, adding that their support was the reason for his successes.
“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.
Other seizures and their breakdown are as follow.
* DSP/CMC cough syrup with codeine 31 ctns containing 3,600 bottles N21,600,000.00
* Vehicles 52 units including 3 armored vehicles N4,275,000,000.00
* Explosive devices 9 sacks 50kg of explosive materials/super power 90 subtance/cables N12,990,000.00 +security implication
* Used clothings/shoes 1,807 jumbo bales 48 sacks of used shoes N451,750,000.00 N4,800,000.00
* Unregistered/expired medicaments 955 cartons of expired/various brand including tramadol N238,750,000.00
* Used pneumatic tyres 6,457 pieces N96,855,000.00
* Foreign spaghetti 364 ctns N7,280,000.00
* Foreign tomatoes paste 4,693 cartons N234,650,000.00
* Vegetable oil 80 jerrycans of 25kg N600,000.00
* Foreign soap 1,329 cartons of eva soap 33,255,000
* Petroleum product 32 jerrycans of 25litres each of pms N468,000,00
He added that although FOU C is not a revenue generating command, under his 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 his 15 months in office.
Comptroller Kayode also reconstructed and equipped a clinic at the Commands’ office, in Owerri, where officers and men, as well members of the host community enjoy free health care services administered by the Command’s qualified medical personnel.
In addition, to ensure a healthy work life balance, he carved out a very spacious office space for sports activities with fully installed gym equipment where officers and men can exercise regularly.
He called on the officers of the Command to extend same support and cooperation to his successor, Comptroller Ugbagu as he pilots the affairs of the Unit and wished him well.
“I wish you well my brother. You will succeed and your legacies will be felt as well “, he concluded.
Taking over mantle of leadership, Comptroller Ugbagu thanked the CGC and his entire management team for bestowing him with the mandate to oversee the affairs of FOU, C.
He thanked Comptroller Kolade for his “highly commendable “achievements while he held sway and pledged continued compliance with established guidelines.
“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 “, he said.
He called for support and cooperation from the stake holders, media and the general public to enable him carry out his new assignment while sustaining and improve on the standard step by the out gone Comptroller.
