Continued from last time

Why did you introduce the use of armoured carriers in the war against smugglers, more so, when your field officers weren’t doing badly, without it?

In 2012 specifically, we lost two officers around Seme; in 2013 we lost an officer in Oyo; in Kwara around 2011, we lost three officers. They were killed, during either patrols or when they were trying to move seizures to the office. This was why the Nigeria Customs Service saw the need for something that would alter the balance of terror, or something that could effectively match the adventurism of the smugglers, grit for grit, strength for strength; that was why management came up with the idea of acquiring those armoured carriers. And I can tell you this, there is a new level of effectiveness or protection which you feel, when you are in those carriers. They are strong; very strong shields. We are happy to note that it has provided a new level of shield that gives our officers an extra level of confidence. So, we now have situations where we effectively undergo patrols with it.

It is like during those military days when you have anniversary and you see the military display an array of super vehicles or tanks, as what they have in their arsenal. Of course, you are only sending out a message to somebody; that look, ‘if you take us on, we have the capacity to absolve what you can inflict on us. We have the ability to retaliate, as well as inflict possibly heavier harms on you in return’.

So, the armoured carriers were introduced to alter the balance of terror, and we are happy it is working. It was the very first week that we lunched it that we made a seizure of over 8,500 bags of rice in a Badagry creek, in Lagos.

So, I would say, that it is working, and that is why we also want to replicate same thing on water now.

What we are trying to do on the water now is to also provide fast moving boats that similarly offer higher level of protection. It is the most viable way to tackle the illegal rice merchants. They land them in the Republic of Benin and then try to smuggle them home through some of our creeks.

Are you talking of armoured patrol boats?

We already have two of those ones that can optimally function on the water for patrol purposes in the pipelines. The Council of state has approved them and now we have tremendous progress with building the vessels in Turkey.

The set of officers that would man them have also been trained. So, we already have the capacity to man them when they come; and I think it was just two or three weeks ago that the management took the decision to name the vessels after our officers in western Marine that were brutally killed during an operation in 2003. We are doing that to let the families know that we still bear their pains, as well as to let the current officers know that the management is determined to adequately equip them for their statutory duties.

Fortunately these are bigger vessels that can easily take 10 or more heavily armed officers.

If you don’t mind, can we again take your operational patrol casualty index to  enable us see if the Service has indeed achieve any gains from your investment in armoured carriers?

In 2011, we lost nine offices that were felled. In 2012, we lost seven; and in 2013, I think we should be talking of about six officers. But, I don’t want to mix the figures with those who suffered or died as a result of insurgency. I am restricting your question to those we lost, as a result of our anti- smuggling operation.

We can recall instances of where officers were sometimes rounded up after seizures, especially if rice was involved; the risk is higher with rice, in particular, because the logistic of moving rice is different from that of moving some other items that are not as heavy and cumbersome as rice.

Movement of rice puts a lot of responsibility in terms of cost, in terms of resources; and so for most of the time when we seize rice, it also creates a lot of problems for officers and we ensure that their lives were not particularly endangered.

But since we introduced the armoured carriers, we are yet to lose any officer, in the course of our anti-smuggling duties. And like I told you, it is like the military displaying its arsenal. It is like showing the smugglers what we have; it is like showing them our new capability. It is like saying, don’t dare us, because we can absolve whatever you think you can offer; and we can also reciprocate in heavier measures. We thank God, that so far there has not been any recorded instance.

Is that why the Service has seemingly been fetching revenues, even also from places like Calabar and Ibadan, places where you traditionally merely gate-keep against smugglers?

The trend in smuggling is that once you close up one place; or once they perceive that there seem to be no compromise in one sector, they quickly move to another sector.

When we brought the PAAR into the ports, and also brought the regime of ICT operations into the ports, the stake became higher for them in the ports. They were no longer finding it easier, like they used to, and that may explain why they probably had to divert, one way or the other. And part of the places where they have probably diverted to, are those places—along the borders.

So, when goods that are not under import prohibitions are arrested in such places, the Customs has the power under the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) to allow such people to pay duty on them and take it away instead of an outright seizure or forfeiture!

This is in so far as the goods are not under import prohibitions.

Rice for instance, is however restricted. So, there is no compromise for rice. For medication, we always call the NAFDAC, and they go with their investigations, the basis of which they run their decisions especially in terms of it is worth of human consumption.

But there are some other items or general goods that may be arrested, even though they do not fall under import prohibition. So, for such goods, whether they arrested them at the borders, creeks, or anywhere else, all we do is exercise our powers under the CEMA, to charge the appropriate import duty on them.

For such goods, we have therefore created appropriate sub-headings; because through such appropriate systems that we have installed for them, they can process these goods and collect appropriate payment on them. And that is what you may have observed at places like Ibadan, or the Federal operations in Lagos, etc.; even though they are not ports of entries, we can also process duty collection on certain classes of goods.

Finally, what is your revenue target for this year and what is your blue print for achieving it?

We have a target of N950 billion for 2015. It was actually reviewed downwards, on account of our experience last year.

But the management’s target is still the same. We are looking beyond that. We are hoping to consolidate on PAAR, and to continue to make doing business in the country a pleasant experience.

We also target ensuring, that less time would be used to clear the goods. We are equally believing strongly, that more and more people would become more transparent in doing their business. And that is an aspect of the blueprint!