By Stephen Ubanna
Between Nov.29, 2024, and December 4, 2024, there had been rumours making the rounds that Frank Oyeka, a Deputy Comptroller, overseeing the Apapa Command exit gate has been shortlisted by the Customs Management team under the close watch of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, to take over from Compt. Dera Nnadi , an award winner in the 2024, Comptroller General of Customs , CGC, 2024, Gala and Award Night at Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT for his initiative ‘’ for Work Place Transformation’’.
As at Dec. 6, 2024, When information filtered out from the Customs Headquarters that DC. Oyeka, had actually been confirmed to take over as the new Area Controller of the Tin can Island Command, he was said to have kept it a closely guided secret but continued to do his normal work of policing the Apapa exit gate by ensuring that importers with their agents do the right thing to exit their cargoes.
The Customs DC, was said to have refused to be drawn into any discussion on the issue with any person, not even his closest associates as he was more concerned about his official duties at the Apapa exit gate than talking about his’’ new posting which had not been made official but still a rumour.
Many believe that even when it has been confirmed that he is taking over from the then Compt. Nnadi, now an acting Assistant Comptroller General, ACG, Finance and Administration, Customs Headquarters, he was not in a hurry to resume because the Customs Comptroller General was out of the country on official engagement. Moreso, there were reports that Compt. Nnadi was said to have asked for time to enable him tidy up his desk instead of leaving untreated files for him to handle.
While acting Compt. Oyeka, was said to be taking his time to resume at his new Command, acting Compt. Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu, a former Coordinator, Sector II, of the defunct, Joint Border Patrol Team, Lagos zonal office and Compt. Garba Bature Bashir, were said to have resumed in Ogun I, Idiroko, Ogun state and Adamawa/Taraba Command, Yola, Capital of Adamawa, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar home state.
The two Customs Commands Area Controllers who were said to have resumed duties in their new Commands were said to have made spectacular Contraband seizures, including Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, poplar, within two weeks in office, an indication that what the Comptroller General needs to do is to introduce more resh hands in the never do well Interventionist Commands to turn things around.
The return of the Comptroller General back to the country may have prompted acting ACG. Nnadi to consider it necessary to hand over to acting Compt. Oyeka, his successor and report at his new office at the Customs Headquarters.

On Friday, December 20, 2024, the much-expected change of baton at Tincan Island took place. Acting ACG. Nnadi, handed over to acting Compt Oyeka at the Tincan Island Command in the full glare of officers and stakeholders.
Although, there may be initial dilly dallying in the handover exercise in the Tin can Island but the former Area Controller was said to have technically relinquished much of his office job to the DC. Administration to oversee, playing the role of a mere administrative head till the substantive Area Controller had assumed office on Friday, Dec,20, 2024 .
Until the immediate past Tin can Island Area Controller, who was said to have taken the Command to the level of improved monthly revenue collection that was said to have made the Area to be the first runner up in the 2024, Comptroller General of Customs CGC, 2024, Gala and Award Night in ‘’the area of revenue generation’’ at FCT, that had been won by Compt. Babatunde Olomu, led Apapa Command, no thanks to the Area Controller Teamwork and enforcement of Compliance to ensure that importers with their agents at the port do the right thing.
Compt. Nnadi, who was said to have been in ‘’the bad book of the agents’’ because of his alleged ‘’no compromise stance’’, but described by the officers and stakeholders as one of the best Area Controllers that the Command has ever produced in the recent time may have made a bold statement as he had renovated and remodeled the Command 40-year-old office complex making it more conducive for officers to do their job.
The initiative may have won the heart of Adeniyi, the Customs CGC, who had described it as an award-winning project during the Commissioning late last November and kept to his word. How the former Tin can Island Area Controller was able to raise funds used for the multi-million project remained a misery.
There are indications that the Command may have raised the money from Abubakar Dantsoho led Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and the National Administration for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC.
There ae indications that the terminal Operators and the shipping Companies including other industry stakeholders like, the National Association of Government Approved Agents, NAGAFF, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Custom Agents, NCMDLCA, and some valuable agents had made individual donations to facilitate the execution of the renovation and remodeling o the 40- year-old office complex of the Command project.
This may have informed why the Customs Comptroller General had given, Special Recognition to the government owned agencies NPA, NSC, SON, NDLEA and NAFDAC, described as supportive Government Agencies, inter agency Cooperation, at the Customs 2024, Customs Gala and Award Night at the FCT, on Nov. 29, 2024, Customs Gala and Award Night at the FCT.
Note that with the elevation of one or two serving Area Controllers to the enviable rank of ACGs, and release of newly appointed substantive and acting Area Controllers Area C , to fill the vacuum that had been created at the Command, Zonal offices and Customs Headquarters may have facilitated the retirement of some Deputy Comptroller Generals of Customs, DCGs, ACGs, Comptrollers and other senior officers who had put in the mandatory 35 years in the service or caught up with the 60 years, age limit for civil servants at both the Federal or state levels.
It was not surorising why ACGs. B, Iman, G.I.G. Umar, I.Q.Ogbudu and some Area Controllers had been retired but one or two Area Controllers were said to have had their tenure extended by one year by the Nigerian President because of their invaluable contributions to the service , evidenced in what they did in their Commands described as worthy of emulation by their Area Controllers for posterity to see.
The Customs Compt. General and his Management team, according to informed sources may have waited to make the new strategic postings when it became clear that some of those who had been shortlisted as acting Comptrollers merited it, meaning that the release of the DCs, promotion list will be a mere formality to decorate them with their new ranks.
DC. Oyeka, described as a disciplinarian and an officer who was said to have used his initiatives to introduce lot of changes at the Apapa exit gate that agents whose clients had contravened the government Fiscal policies through false declaration, under declaration and other malpractices, who were issued Demand Notice, DN were happy to pay it.
The Tin can Island Command acting Comptroller who was said to have had the backing of the Customs Comptroller General and Compt. Olomu, the Apapa Command Area Controller, who was said to have him the free hand to do his job and like other DCs, occupying strategic positions is expected to take the new Command to a new level.
Many believe that what he did at the Apapa exit gate where agents were made ‘’to produce the video clip’ of t physical examination on their clients’ cargoes sat APM and other terminals at the premier port, to ensure that what was contained the importer’s the Bill of Lading is what is actually loaded into the Container, maritime experts had said will be a child’s play compared to what he will do at the new Command to enhance trade facilitation and ensure that cargoes exit from the port with ease .
The Customs acting Comptroller described as a’’ hard nut to crack’’ may have been encouraged to do what he had done at the Apapa exit gate for the period he was there as the Officer In-charge because of his experience at the PortHarcourt Area II, Command, Onne and the Tincan Island Command exit gates some years ago where he was said to have made some unexpected discoveries in Containers that had been examined and released at the terminals.
This may have hardened the heart of some members of ANALCA, NAGAFF, NCMDLCA, and other Freight Forwarders Associations, who were said to have played into his hands at the Tin can Island exit gate to have their grudge over his return to the Command. They have option: to turned a leaf to avoid playing into the hands of Tin can Island new Area Controller who was said to have promised to continue from where his predecessor had stopped to enhance the Command revenue generation and anti-smuggling drive.
While the importers with the clearing at the Tincan Island may be enjoying the services of acting Comptroller Oyeka which the Apapa Command had lost, Compt. Olomu, his immediate boss, may not want a vacuum to exist the Command exit gate at the Apapa port, that he was said to have moved fast to fill the big shoe that had been left by acting Compt. Oyeka to main the top position in the service trade facilitation and revenue generation in the upcoming new year.
Note that on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, he had officially relinquished his position at the Apapa exit gate to pave way for his successor to step in. An insider had confirmed that there was much pressure on him between Dece.6, 2024, and for much of Dec. 19, 2024, by agents who wants their clients’ documents treated to exit their Containerised cargoes from the Apapa port exit gate.
Recall that the pressure was so much on him on Dec.6, 2024, that he was said to have left the office late at night to avoid been waylaid by the aggressive agents who were not happy that he is leaving them to Tin Can Island Command.