JBPT: SHUAIBU SEEKS FURTHER COLLABORATION AS HE TOURS COMMANDS.

Story by Dili Utomi.

The Joint Border Patrol Team, a unit of the Nigeria Customs Service was created in 2019 as an exigent entity given the mandate to complement the jobs of the various Commands of the Nigeria Customs Service within and around the country’s borders. The JBPT was also inaugurated to battle the smuggling in of illicit drugs, arms and ammunition and to combat other nefarious activities that may be going on around the border areas including the protection of endangered species.

The Team has been recently streamlined to consist only of members of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Immigrations Services with the Customs as the arrow head. The Team has also been divided into several sectors with the sector 2 covering the entire South West zone of the Country.

Recently, a good enforcement officer who last served as the Staff Officer General of the Nigeria Customs Service at Headquarters, Abuja was appointed as the substantive Coordinator of the sector 2 of the Team. He is Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Shuaibu, M S; a tough officer with vast experiences at several Units, Formations and Commands of the Service. He swung into action as soon as he took over the reigns at the helms of the sector 2 of the Team and several seizures of contraband goods have been recorded in the less than two months after his appointment.

The sector has within the past two months of DC Shuaibu’s appointment recorded the seizure of a total of Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty One (3,541) bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice, Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Three X 30 Litres (2,283) Jerry cans of PMS with Fifteen Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty-One Thousand naira (₦15,981,000.00) auction value, Fifty Nine (59) sacks, One Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty (1,620) packages of Indian Hemp (Cannabis Sativa), Three Hundred and Two (302) bales of second hand Clothes, One Thousand Five Hundred (1,500) Cartons of Poultry Products and Eight Hundred (800) Cartons of Frozen Fish with auction value of Eight Million Naira (₦8,000,000.00).

On Tuesday this week, DC Shuaibu started a tour on duty to the Area Commands that fall within the sector 2 of the JBPT and for several days, he met and spoke with the various Customs Area Controllers of the Commands.

The tour started with a visit to the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of the Zone II of the Nigeria Customs Service, Jibo BM. The sector Coordinator told ACG Jibo that the thrusts of the visit are basically to seek further cooperation, collaboration and synergy in order to continue to deliver on the core Service mandate of the protection of the national economy, facilitation of trade and the  generation of revenue.

ACG Jibo praised the leadership quality and the intelligence of DC Shuaibu and promised to always give the necessary support, he urged him to continue along the right path of collaborating with the various units and Commands to make the Service a more cohesive entity.

At the Lillypond Export Command, DC Shuaibu and his entourage met with the Customs Area Controller at the Command, Comptroller Odusanya A Y, he reiterated the  purpose of the tour which includes the tapping of the vast knowledge of the various Command heads, seeking their cooperation and collaborations as well as to synergise in all areas in order to have a smoother environment that will enable them to achieve the Service mandates.

CAC Odusanya on his part said that as a well known acheiver, the Coordinator will meet expectations. He indicated that his Command is always looking to making sure that all standards for export are met and needed processes followed. He also reiterated the fact that the Export Command is always ensuring that there is a protection of all endangered species as he promised full cooperation with the JBPT.

The contingent also met with the CAC of the Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi where he reiterated the purpose of the visit.

Comptroller Nnadi spoke variously about the World Customs Organisation which has its motto as “Borders divide, Customs Unite” and quipped in that as the seaport is also a kind of border he can welcome the Coordinator to the “Tin Can Island Border”. He noted that visit of the Coordinator aptly demonstrates the WCO motto.

CAC Nnadi noted that the seeking of the collaboration of the various Commands by the Coordinator and his Team is aimed at tackling the multifaceted problems created by those involved in illegal trade. He said that import is an international trade that requires that all activities that encumber trade be removed as is also recognised by the  office of the vice president that issued an executive order on the matter. He emphasised the timely release of cargoes in order that the job of trade facilitation may be made easier and also that Nigeria may meet the international standard.

Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Abdullahi, MM is part of the entourage and he emphasised the vital nature of the collaboration, cooperation and synergy sought by the Team, he admonished that all hands should be on deck for everyone to play his or her role well for posterity sake.

At the Apapa Command, the entourage also met with the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Jaiyeoba BA and some of his lieutenants. The JBPT Coordinator, DC Shuaibu stated the purpose of the visits and the need for all to play as a team.

CAC Jaiyeoba on his part noted that the imperative nature of the JBPT has been demonstrated by the proliferation of small and light arms all over the North and West African regions after the fall of the Gaddafi regime in Libya coupled with the recent military interventions in some West African countries. He commended the Coordinator and his Team and said that it is inevitable that the Command grants its support to the JBPT.

At the Ports and Multiservices Managers Limited (PTML) Port Command, the Team also met with the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Saidu Abba Yusuf and his men and DC Shuaibu detailed the reason for the tour.

Comptroller Yusuf welcomed the entourage to what he refers to as “a model Port” because of the Ports peculiar nature as a roll-in-roll-out Port. He described DC Shuaibu as a no nonsense officer who is capable of handling his position well. CAC Yusuf added that the Command is ever willing and ready to support the Joint Border Patrol Team.

At the Western Marine Command, Ibafon the Team met with the man at the helms there, Comptroller Salefu, OA. DC Shuaibu also buttressed the need for cooperation, collaboration and synergy in other that they may achieve stated goals.

CAC Salefu on his part says that he had worked variously with the Coordinator and some of his men at various Units, Commands and Formations and so very happy to receive the Team. He added that he is very willing to offer whatever support and cooperation for the Team to succeed as all the units in the Nigeria Customs Service and other Agencies of Government are children of the same mother.

On Wednesday, the Team visited the Seme Command of the Service where they met with the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Bomodi, T and his men. The Coordinator, DC Shuaibu spoke about the purpose of the visit and once again urged for team work at the all Units, Commands and Formations.

CAC Bomodi then spoke about the functions of his Command which he refers to as the busiest Border in the West African region. He noted that he has received tremendous support from the officers of the JBPT and described the idea of the JBPT as “a very laudable one”. He added that as the biggest economy in the region with the Command that opens up to other countries, the Seme Command has the duty to continue to facilitate trade in other that the country can really generate the much needed foreign exchange to help meet the  Nigerian economic and financial needs. He also muted that the Customs quarter being built is close to completion and that of course the quarter will benefit all officers serving close by.

The Team also met with the Comptroller of Immigration Service of the Seme Command, Audu, Douglas Tanko who promised to assist the Team in any way possible to succeed.

The Team then moved to the Ogun 1 Command, Idiroko of the NCS where they met with DC Ogunesan representing the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Shu’aib AB who was unavoidably absent as a result of being at the Comptroller’s retreat on the day. Also available at the meeting was the Comptroller of Immigration Service at the Idiroko Command, Kallamu AT.

DC Ogunesan also assured the Team of the Command’s intent to always co-operate and collaborate with them as they are all partners in progress. CIS Kallamu buttressed the point made by DC Ogunesan.

A group photograph with ACG Jibo .

At Abeokuta, the JBP Team met with the Customs Area Controller of the Ogun II Command, Comptroller Alade AOB who received the Team with commendation. He said that the very precarious nature of the security and indeed the many aspects of the national life have justified the need to have the JBPT in place. He advised that the officers and men should be careful and intelligent while doing their duty for life has no duplicate, but encouraged them to do their best to serve the nation.

A group photograph of officers of JBPT with DC Shuaibu in the centre and AC Immigration Abdullahi to his left.

The Coordinator of the JBPT, DC Shuaibu thanked CAC Alade for receiving them and sought further support from the Command.

The Team also on Thursday travelled to Ibadan where they were received by the Customs Area Controller of the Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller (Dr.) Oramalugo BN.

The Coordinator, DC Shuaibu at the Command told the CAC that he has come to seek his opinion, cooperation and collaboration in order to be able to synergise for the common national good as are all mandated.

CAC Oramalugo, a well read professional on his part said that the 923,769 square kilometres of land that make up Nigeria is enormous and though not easy to secure can be better managed by the sort of support, cooperation, collaboration and synergy sought by the Coordinator. He added that the Service needs its personnel to be more and more professionlised in order to get the best of the officers. He also added that the border area between Nigeria and Benin Republic is 773 square kilometres, with Niger 1041 kilometres, with Cameron is 1600 kilometres and with Chad is 83 kilometres and that even if you make every one in the country to man the border, the number will not be adequate since the present situation is tough. He also said that Customs have been in existence before the advent of Colonialism in the form of tolls and has continued since Colonialism in 1851, hence the need to support the Nigeria Customs Service and all its legitimate activities.

A group photograph at the TIP Command

The JBP Team was well received at all the Commands with gifts of plaque of recognition given them at most of the Commands. The Team headed back to its Administrative Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos where DC Shuaibu said with elation that the tour has been very successful and that he feels a lot of happiness that the objective of the tour has been achieved.

DC Shuaibu added that the war on smuggling will get fiercer as smugglers get more desperate as he advised them all to stay away from illegal trade and embrace legitimate trade .

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