By Stephen Ubanna
Controller Godwin Otunla, Area Controller, Ogun 1, Command, Idiroko, who is posed to guarantee a resurgence in Legitimate cross -border trade in the border Community that could accommodate over 30 transit Containers, released from the Port of Cotonou, Republic of Benin, scheduled for the Nigerian market appears to have thrown his weight on the Leadership of the Customs Officers Wives Association, COWA, branch, of the Command.
This may have informed why the Association had been able to implement its Corporate Social Responsibility to both the people of Idiroko in IPOKIA, local government and its environs to reduce the tension between the Gen Z, Youths and the officers carrying out their legitimate duties of anti-smuggling operations. The Association may have extended the CSRs, programmes to benefit the officers.
Informed sources had confirmed that ever since Mrs. Fausat Otunla, assumed the Leadership of the Association, late last December she had initiated some health programmes that have been of immense benefits that would keep the officers fit for their job and people of the host community.
The source, confirmed that Mrs. Otunla, and her team, who are working according to the mandate of Hajia Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, National Chairperson of COWA, had demonstrated between January and now, had taken health as their pet project.
On Thursday, October, 30, 2025, the Ogun I, Command, COWA, Leadership, had embarked on medical care Check up for the officers, in which scores of officers, both from the Head office and the outstations were said to have benefited.
An eye witness account confirmed that other security agencies personnel, like the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NLEA. Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA, department of State Services, DSS and the neighbouring West African country of Benin Republic security personnel, were said to have benefitted from the free medical check-up.
An eye-witness account disclosed that security operatives who were diagnosed to have symptoons of High Blood Pressure, HBP, Diabetes, eye problem, and other health challenges, were placed on drugs. The Hospital that was said to have been contracted by the COWA, Leadership for the free medical check up of the Command officers, was said to have also been mandated to give free medical reading glass, to officers, diagnosed to have eye -problem.
The benefitting officers who were said to have commended the COWA, Leadership and the Association members, for coming out with the bold health initiative which is helpful to them. One of the officers, had reported that because of his schedule where he spends much of the time in the porous smugglers’ routes in the state and which gives him or no time to come out on weekends, he hardly goes for medical check- up which was telling on his health.
Based on what was diagnosed that he has an eye problem, he acknowledged that he was given a reading glass, which he may not have thought of getting so soon. The officer, who could not hide his feelings had thanked Compt. Otunla, for the support given to the Association to contribute to improving the health of the officers.
It would be recalled that Mrs. Otunla, led Ogun I, Command, COWA, had donated mosquito nets, 50 pieces of bed sheets to General Hospitals and the Medical Centre in Idiroko, Headquarters of IPOKIA, Local government Area of former President Olusegun Obasanjo Home state.
Mrs. Otunla, the COWA chairperson, in Ogun I, Command, had alluded to why the Association embarked on such health initiative in IPOKIA, LGA, that would also benefit the officers, as part of its commitment to maintain the good health of the officers to do their job which many described as hectic, particular, in the area of anti-smuggling operations and Community development.
She was emphatic that COWA, Ogun I, Command, branch, under her leadership, had resolved ‘’to continually support to improve the health of the officers of the Command and equally support health institutions and the living conditions of the people of Idiroko, border Community and its environs.
The Ogun I, Command, COWA, Leadership Renewed CSRs, gesture, may have encouraged the Area Controller, who had been much occupied in ensuring that that the Command meet the Service Core mandate of Trade Facilitation, Revenue Generation and Anti-smuggling Operations, among other to put smiles on the officers.
The Customs Comptroller, was said to have initiated a project of giving out plagues to officers who had put in 35 years and then from the service from the Command or had attained the mandatory 60 years of age going by the Federal Civil Service, FCS, Regulations of retirement.
Described as very encouraging, may have encouraged the serving officers in the Command to step up their efforts in tightening up the security at the ipkia, Yewa South, and Imeko Afon, LGAs,particular, to clip the wings of the smugglers to ensure that the right thing is done just as revenue had been on the rise as their efforts are being appreciated.
Unconfirmed report shows that that the Ogun I, Command , may hit over the N200 billion , revenue collection bracket, this 2025, as Ogun I, Command, who had carried the COWA, Leadership along, who in turn had their members along, may have given a breather, to the officers to be more dedicated and committed to their job, without given them undue pressure in their respective homes but gives them words of encouragement to do their job which had reflected in the Command anti-smuggling operations and revenue drive.
