Deputy Comptroller Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, Controller of the Federal Operation Units, Zone A, Ikeja means many things to smugglers but one thing that is constant about this zero smuggler enabler is the fact that he does not relent in ruining the plans of economic saboteurs popularly known as smugglers
By Miracle Egbo
The fear of Deputy Controller Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu is the beginning of wisdom for those who engage in the illicit activities of smuggling. On monthly basis Ejibunu hogged headlines of national dailies because of his seizure prowess. The smarter the smugglers progress in their illicit activities the more proactive the amiable controller becomes in beating them to their game.
Investigation orchestrated by this medium revealed that Federal Operation Units Zone A, Ikeja of the Nigeria Customs Service headed by Deputy Controller Ejibunu has saved the nation billions of naira from the seizure of contraband goods. According to the investigation, Ejibunu and his team has been able to reduce the activities of smugglers to the barest minimum to the admiration of his contemporaries in the service.
It was a bad Christmas season for importers of nine trailers and 13 Tokunbo vehicles which were intercepted by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The Acting Controller of the unit, Ejibunu told newsmen that 11 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures. According to him, the Unit also seized a Toyota Highlander which had bags of foreign parboiled rice concealed in it at Iju-Ojuore, Ogun State.
Breakdown of the seizures and others include 18,100 litres of premium motor spirit, 376 bales of used clothes,1,926 cartons of frozen poultry products, 337 pieces of used compressors, 3 X 40 ft containers found to contain 3,838 pieces of used tyres, 13 used vehicles (Tokunbo) and 396 cartons of frozen fish. He put the total duty paid value of the seized goods at N872,575,250. The Controller added that the sum of N71,254,984.71 was realized by the Unit through issuance of demand notices on items that were found to have paid less in Customs duties.
He told newsmen, “Smuggling operations that employ ingenious concealment methods can have a chance of successfully trafficking illegal goods across borders or checkpoints without being noticed. “This calls for the collaborative efforts of all citizens to support the Service by providing useful and timely information that would aid the anti-smuggling drive. “These seizures reflect our commitment to the discharge of our functions; aimed at protecting the nation’s economy and preventing the importation of prohibited and harmful products from entering our domestic markets”.
Last October, the Command under his watch made seizure of various degrees of goods. It was the period under review in the command that under his watch 148 cartons of foreign soap, 25 units of exotic vehicles (Tokunbo) were retrieved from the hands of the enemies of the economy – smugglers. In the same concerted efforts of Ejibunu and his team, 7,029 50 kg bags of foreign parboiled rice hitherto in the kitty of the smugglers were intelligently retrieved thanks to the diligent work of Ejibunu and his team.
The FOU Command of the Nigeria Customs Service under the eagle eye watch of Ejibunu has tremendously helped in curtailing the activities of oil thieves in the country. 35, 100 of premium motor spirit PMS was recently retrieved from the hands of smugglers who would have made a kill but the roving eagle –eye of Ejibunu and his cracker team who have made smuggling less attractive to prospective participants.
In this harvest of seizure escalated by Ejibunu and his cracker team, 1,100 liters of diesel was equally retrieved from the firm grip of the smugglers. In continuation of the harvest, the team of Ejibunu intercepted 140 foot container containing 150 cartons of ladies handbags, 50 bales of knickers and other falsely declared items. In the same vein, another 120 foot container of unprocessed wood, 106 cartons of foreign frozen poultry, 55 pieces of used fridge, and 110 pieces of used compressors.
The FOU Zone A Command of the Service under the eagle-eye watch of Ejibunu has been making classical seizures on monthly basis to the admiration of the National headquarters of NCS. His ingenuity in tracking the traces of the smugglers track is legendary; no wonder he is being recognized by all stakeholders by way of awards. Ejibunu said that in the process of the seizures ten suspects were apprehended and would be prosecuted according to dictates of the Customs laws and constitution of the country. According to the hardworking Ejibunu, the cumulative Duty Paid Value of the intercepted goods amounts to an impressive One Billion Seven Hundred and Fifty five million Eighty thousand, Eight hundred and Ninety –eight (1,755, 080,898.11).
“Before reeling out the list of seizure which amounts to N1, 241,777.700 in Duty Paid Value, I want to state that this Unit of the Service under my watch will make the remaining part of 2023 and beyond tough for smugglers in the interest of our country.
“We are ready to intercept them and frustrate their antics of concealment, illegal route passage, false declaration and under-declaration. In addition, we are also determined to implement all the provision of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 including the various penalties attached to offences while striving to ensure that the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law”, Ejibunu revealed.
