Oba Emmanuel Oyebisi, the Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oyo State, on Monday pledged a sustainable collaboration between the people of Igbeti and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on anti-smuggling and revenue drive.
Oyebisi made the pledge when the Customs Zonal Coordinator, an Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Eporwei Edike, visited the palace in Igbeti.
The traditional ruler said that he had been engaging his people in continuous admonition on the importance of the Customs Service to the nation.
“I served with the Nigeria Police for 35years; I retired as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and I am also spending 13 years on the throne.
“I was called three years after my retirement to be the traditional ruler of Igbeti.
“I usually advised customs officers based on my experience in terms of national security and I can proudly say that it is assisting them in their operations, ‘’ Oyebisi said.
The traditional ruler commended the efforts of the zonal coordinator for finding time to visit him, adding that this would go a long way in his support for the Customs Service.
Edike praised the traditional ruler for collaborating with Customs, saying that the traditional ruler had been contributing positively to customs activities in the area.
He appreciated the traditional ruler for advising officers on the implication and importance of national security.
Edike said his visit to Igbeti border station was meant to encourage the customs officers to be more committed to their duties.
He urged the officers to note that the little revenue collected from their end would go a long way in assisting the government to fulfill its statutory obligations.
A Chief Superintendent of Customs, Mr Namare Usman, commended the efforts of the zonal coordinator for finding time to visit the area.
Usman confirmed that the zonal coordinator was the first coordinator that had visited the command.
“Seeing you will boost our attitude toward our duties.
“We need a conducive environment to work because the office we are managing presently was a rented apartment.
“We also need more equipment because we have a lot of unapproved routes that lead to this area,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Usman as saying.
He, however, promised that officers in Igbeti area would put in their best in collecting maximum revenue for government.
The Officer in charge of Saki Border Post, Mr Oladipo Ayorinde, said apart from enforcement, the command also generated revenue on duties from rice.
Ayorinde said the command generated over N8million on rice in November 2015, adding that it also generated N8.5 million in January 2016.
“We had little revenue in December as a result of the Central Bank Policy.
“We are going so surpass our target in February because of the new strategy we introduced to our operations,’’ he said.
Ayorinde commended the support of sister agencies like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Immigration and the Nigeria Police.
He pleaded that the customs management should provide more operational vehicles for smooth operation due to the porous routes in the area.
Ayorinde also urged the customs management to provide the officers with befitting buildings, adding that the officers had been operating in rented apartment for over 20 years.
The zonal coordinator, however, advised officers to always seek the support of other sister agencies and continue to synergise to assist in areas of national security.
Mr Hameed Abdulmalik, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Iseyin out-station under Oyo/Osun Command, said the command generated over N9 million through duties paid on rice in January.
He said that the station had generated over N2 million between Feb. 1 and Feb 8.
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