Western Marine Customs Battles Smugglers Hard on Waterways

Western Marine Customs Battles Smugglers Hard on Waterways … Showcases Seizures worth N582M, New Facelift of Command’s Structures, Facilities

… Showcases Seizures worth N582M, New Facelift of Command’s Structures, Facilities, Decorates Newly Promoted Officers

Comptroller PN Ntadi, CAC, Western Marine Command, NCS

The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intensified the battle against smugglers and economic saboteur on the waterways wing of its anti-smuggling operations.

With its renewed commitment and remarkable determination, the command under the watch of the present Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller PN Ntadi is said to be cruising in control of the waterways battle against nefarious activities of smuggling through the sea.

Handing over Seized Special Cannabis Sativa to NDLEA

Since the advent of Controller Ntadi, the command is seen to have repositioned its battle frontiers, as well as its indulgence in turning around the physical structures of the command to a more habitable form for officers to be more comfortable for the enforcement task ahead.

Also, there have been massive overhauling its operational facilities to serve as a boost to effectively carry out their anti-smuggling duties.

The recent record of seizures worth over N582 million as disclosed by the CAC in the last press briefing is seen as a massive improvement in the enforcement mandate of the command over the past record, and the Command has as well set a new standard of preparedness in the fight against smuggling and maritime insecurity.

Highpoint of the briefing also witnessed the Command decorated about 36 newly promoted officers and men in a dramatic turn, including the Public Relations Officer and the Officer in Charge of Operations at the Command headquarters.

During the decoration exercise, the CAC tasked the newly promoted officers to see their elevation as a call to higher duty which should not be taken for granted, a gesture that underscored the the Abuja High Command’s leadership commitment to motivating its workforce.

Since the advent of Comptroller PN Ntadi, the command had embarked on a vigorous mission to transform the Command into a model of discipline, efficiency, and resilience.

Buttressing this at the press briefing in Lagos, Ntadi unveiled a string of achievements that underscore the Command’s renewed momentum under his leadership watch.

One of the core challenges the Command tackled was the evacuation of hoodlums who had over the years constituted menace by occupying under the bridge outer space of the command’s perimeter fence. It took a lot of courage to achieve this feat, as the action of the hoodlums elements have bedeviled the sorrounding community for years.

With the area reclaimed, a new security post now stands at the Command gate as a first line of defense. A redesigned Quarter Guard and a striking new marine symbol were also unveiled, as they reinforced the Command’s identity as Nigeria’s premier maritime enforcement hub.

Also, to boost waterways patrols, the Command undertook the expansion of its jetty for safety and to accommodate more patrol boats, ensuring quicker response times to infractions.

Another very laudable achievement of the Ntadi led command was the remarkable renovation of dilapidated Outstations.  Listing Outstations at Ere and Bar Beach that were once neglected, as beneficiaries, as they have been fully rehabilitated, while renovation works at Igbokoda station are set to begin shortly.

Overhauling of operational tools also had its fair share of Comptroller Ntadi to improve fleet efficiency, as about four patrol boats were said to have been refurbished, while two upgraded operational vehicles were added to logistics support.

Officers are now said to have a sense of belonging in their attitude to duty with better welfare facilities, including a modern canteen and improved sanitary blocks.

Reeling out the command’s enforcement feat, the CAC said the Western Marine Command recorded significant seizures that highlight its operational success from the month of April to September.

However, the Comptroller while breaking down the seizures revealed that operatives of the command  intercepted a total of 1,827 bags of foreign parboiled rice worth a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N204.6m; 174 sacks of Ammonium Sulphate, as well as 86 Sacks of Polypropylene Compounds all with 20.1m DPV.

Others include

1,312 loaves of imported Cannabis Variants—Arizona, Scottish, and Ghana Loud which are worth over N232.8m; 42 kegs of smuggled PMS (auctioned); 14 Outboard Engines, and multiple locally made Boats.

The grand total DPV of the seizures was put at over N582 Million.

Highlight of the briefing was the handover of the rare Cannabis Sativa haul to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),

Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics, Apapa Strategic Command, ACGN OB Wakama, who in turn praised NCS for intercepting the illicit drugs. He also warned that the potency – due to its genetic modification, posed a grave threat to public health and national security.

Comptroller Ntadi concluded by decorating 36 officers and men of the command who were recently promoted. He noted that boosting officers’ morale through recognition and welfare remains central to sustaining efficiency in maritime operations.

He also applauded the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for his support to the Command’s infrastructural renewal drive.

He also commended his officers and sister security partners, especially NDLEA, for their unwavering collaboration.