By Zika Bobby
Comptroller Adekunle Oloyede, immediate past Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) Command in Lagos, has proven what a combination of knowledge, intelligence and patriotism can achieve in customs administration.
Before his recent deployment to Customs headquarters as Comptroller, Import and Export, Oloyede brought his knowledge of ICT to prevent revenue loss and stop smuggling of prohibited items into Nigeria, especially illicit drugs.
Before his departure in August, Comptroller Oloyede warehoused a N50 million bribe from smugglers as evidence against importers of tramadol laden in 2x40ft containers with a street value of over N550.3 million. This unprecedented anti-smuggling bust in the last two decades made TCIP a scary zone under his watch for smugglers and duty evaders.
That singular effort and previous ones have saved the Nigerian society from destructive importation by people who think bribing their way through the ports will result in smuggling in psychotropic substances and drugs with harmful effects on individuals and the society
The landmark feat also featured the arrest of two suspects who had approached his office to negotiate the clearing of the drugs, offering to pay bribes to clear them out.
A smart Oloyede had played along and documented evidence, including bribe in cash that would aid prosecution of the culprits, while sending strong signals of zero compromise on his part to the trading community
Addressing newsmen on the seizure, Oloyede said: “The Tin-Can Island Command received a timely intelligence from the Command Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) on the suspected importation of illicit dangerous drugs (unregistered regulated pharmaceutical products) concealed in 2ft by 40ft containers with Bill of Landing Nos. 227578945 and 227898171. On arrival of the vessel in Tincan Island Container Terminal (TICT), the containers (MRSU 592397/0 and MRKU 553432/1) were transferred immediately to the Enforcement Station for 100 per cent physical examination and further investigation.
“The physical examination was conducted on both containers by enforcement officers, Customs intelligence operatives, Customs police and examination officers of the terminal on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at about 14:00hours and Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at about 13:00hours, respectively. The following were discovered. Container No. MRSU 592397/0: The details on the Bill of Lading, with No. 227578945, stated the items laden were 1,016 packages containing electrical goods ceiling fan 36 jewel (copper) and chilly cutters (stainless steel plastic) but after examination the container was found to contain five cartons of Timaking 120 Tapentadol (Tramadol) Hydrochloride Carisoprodol capsule. Each carton contains 50 rolls, each roll contains five packets, each packet 200 tablets.”
In January 2023, while announcing a total collection of N574 billion as revenue for last year, Oloyede disclosed seizures of 2,594 ammunition and arrest of 60 suspects. He also made seizures worth over N41 billion while preventing revenue leakages.
According to him, some of the strategic measures introduced in 2022 include: periodic capacity building, reshuffling and redeployment of officers using the SWOT analysis, implementation of the VIN valuation, automation of the 546 procedure, re-introduction of the NIIT after deployment of a Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology equipment to the command, proper profiling, system audit, proper recheck or examination and detailed but clearly inputted inspection acts, among others.
He also opined that continuous stakeholder engagement and collaboration with all sister government agencies enabled the command to sniff out improper declarations as well as offending items as seizures, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N41,846,372,083.50, were intercepted.
The seizures comprised 763pkgs of Colarado (cannabis sativa) weighing 345.1kg with a street market value of N714,600,000 given by the NDLEA, 5 x 40 containers of used motor tyre (5050 pistes), 1,150 bales of secondhand clothings, 1,190 cartons of 20 per carton Possuem Bromate and Baking Powder, 11,392 cartons of 1,200 per carton Armcol Injection Chiproquine Phosphate 322.5mg/5ml (IV and IM), 206,000 pieces of finished matchets, 1,383 cartons of 50 rolls per carton of cigarettes.
Other seizures were 650 cartons of 50 pieces per carton new ladies shoes, 2,666 pieces in 36 pallets of new Starter ex-premium inverter battery, 1,980 cartons of assorted non-alcoholic beverages and 1,048 cartons of Tilde Basmati rice, others include 2,594 pieces of ammunition and 20 pieces of arms comprising of 1 pistol with 611090 (S/W) model JCP 40mm, one used Co2 Air Pistol with accessories cal 117(4.5m) BM, one Marksman repeater pistol and Mace pepper gun and 10 suspected arms of various types.
His mastery of Customs ICT thwarted efforts by criminal elements to compromise the Customs ICT system at Tin Can Port, where the suspects were arrested.
He has used his local and international training exposure to profile import and export detecting infractions and even stopping or recalling exited cargoes in transit.
Oloyede in one of his media briefings, said: “There was a ban on wood and wood products, especially charcoal. We checked our system last year and we saw that the volume of wood and wood products was very high. This was why the tonnage dropped, because we blocked the movement of wood and wood products out of Nigeria.
“When I resumed here, I ordered that about 30 containers of wood should be brought back. It was already out of the country, but I instructed that it should be brought back. We are still on it, and about seven of them have been brought back to shore. I have the power to do that. All I need to do is talk to the customs administration of the receiving country, and they would never allow that vessel to berth.
“Because it was a new introduction and process, we decided in our own magnanimity as a command to look into it and give another chance. We asked agents to write their application back to us and we would make sure that the correct duty is collected with a penalty, which is 25 per cent of the duty you are supposed to pay.
“We found out that the owners of the vehicles are not the real perpetrators of these crimes. If we decide to use the big harmer, we might just be punishing the common man that invested his money into importation.
“We went back to our drawing board to make sure we automate the process to remove human error. So, we automated the 846. In the room, while I was doing the sensitization, they dared me and told me that I should give them one week and that they would circumvent the system, and they did.
“But, right now, I have them in enforcement, because whether you like it or not, you can only succeed for a period of time.
“They never knew what I did to protect that application, lo and behold, they are crying now. I have received calls from everywhere, including the Presidency, and I said, no.
“We hear that those doing the hacking are saying that there is another way to break into the system. I have told them to go and try again. We will catch them.”