By Stephen Ubanna
In spite of Adegboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state , in south western Nigerian and now minister of marine and blue economy, assurance of going to reduce the number of security agencies at the nation’s seaports to a maximum of seven from the present unmanageable number, to fast -track port processes and improve the ease of doing business, the Western and amphibious Commands, of the Nigerian Navy, under the close watch of Emmanuel Ogalla and the Tin-can Island Command various Commanders at the seaports and Land border stations have initiated moves to to strengthen their working relationship with the Area Controllers.
Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, appears to have laid the foundation for the improved close working relationship between the Customs Formations at the seaports and the other security agencies operatives at the seaports.
At present , the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, NCS, which is the steward of the nation’s trade and land border management , Port Health, , the Nigerian Police Fore, NPF, under the close watch of Kayode Egbetokun, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Department of State Service, DSS, National Agenncy for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, have operating offices at the Lagos ports of Apapa, Tin-can Island, Port multi-services terminal limited, PTML, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, KLT, phases I and II.
Other Federal Government agencies that were said to have established offices at the country’s seaports include Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Shippers Council, and Nigerian Navy. Because of their insistence to join in cargo examination at the ports. The Western Naval Command, operates at the Apapa port axis while the Eastern Naval Command operates at the Delta port, Warri flank.
As a prelude of maintaining a good working relationship among the various security agencies including the NPF and the Naval personnel including the DSS, at the port, the parties were said to have maintained close touch through visits and regular security meetings at the port.
With the remarkable growth in the volume of merchant navy ships calling at the nation’s ports in the recent time may have informed why, has agreed to work closely with Compt. Frank Okechukwu Onyeka, the Command Area Controller.
Given that the Nigerian Navy, have modernized its training and capacity building aspect of hydrographic survey for the benefit of the nation’s maritime economy may have informed why Compt. Babatunde Olomu , Area Controller , Apapa Command, had at several times hosted security meetings at the Command , that was said to have been attended by all the security agencies Chiefs at the ports including the various Customs Commands Area Controllers at the Lagos ports.
Last February, the Customs Comptroller, who is determined to control the activities of fraudulent importers with their Agents at the port and improve the Command revenue collections was said to have paid a courtesy call on Garba Musa, an Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, overseeing the country’s maritime operations at the seaports.
The Customs Comptroller may have paid the visit to the AIG, for the purpose of security in the Lagos port environment and free flow of revenue collections by the Command operatives at the port which must not be hindered by the criminal elements.
Only recently, Omotayo Busuyi Oyeleye, a Naval Captain and Commanding Officer, Nigerian Forward Operating Base, NFOB, Badagry, Lagos, which had been involved in combating criminal activities within its areas of jurisdictions in south western geographical region waters that covers the seas, rivers, and creeks had paid a working visit to Compt. Frank Okechukwu Onyeka, Area Controller, Tin-can Island Command.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the NFOB Badagry, over the years have given a good account of their operations overseeing the nation’s maritime domain within the Lagos axis with the seizures hundreds of Jerrycans of petrol, 25-30 litres each and Cannabis Sativa, popular Indian Hem, at different times, valued at millions of naira by Valuation experts, acting on intelligence, which was said to have been handed over to the Seme Command.
The NFOB, Commander, may have had at the back of his mind that if the Naval Base operatives operating from Badagry could effectively contain the Criminal elements, it could extend the same the same operations around the port environment by providing all the necessary security support to the Customs Area Controllers to do their job to contain the activities of the smugglers operating between Nigeria and neighbouring Republic of Benin through the sea and rivers and the creeks to carry out their nefarious activities.
An appreciative Compt. Onyeka, who was said to be very happy receiving the NFOB, Commander , in the person of Capt. Oyeleye, coming to rub mind with him in the office on how to improve on their working relationship to contain the activities of the smugglers was said to have made his Naval Chief guest to understand that ‘’to achieve a safe and prosperous nation, all security agencies in the country, including the military , must prioritize national security’’.
This may have informed why he has urged Vice Admiral Ogalla led Nigerian Navy, which has the responsibility of policing the nation’s maritime domain to reinforce collaboration with the service and other security agencies at the port.
Te Customs Comptroller has every reason to host the Navy Captain, and Commander, NFOB, Badagry, because of the longstanding cordial relations between the Leadership of the Nigerian Navy and the NCS, spanning over the years. Moreso, the Nigerian Navy unflinching Cooperation with the NPA, in the task of the nation’s waterways against inland and coastal threat appears to have smoothen the service port operations and the spectacular contraband seizures that had been made at the Lagos and the south eastern ports of Onne, Rivers state, ports in the recent time.
The Nigerian Navy could do that because it has a modern purpose -bult hydrographic research vessel that enables the Naval Patrol team operatives perform national assignments such as ‘’oceanography survey, hydrographic survey, and fishery survey among others, which the various Customs Formations at the country’s seaports could easily benefit from. There is dearth of such qualified hydrographers and oceanographic surveyors in NPA, that could facilitate the job of the Customs operatives at the ports. This is why the visit of Capt. Olaleye visit to Compt. Onyeka, the Tin-can Island Area is very apt.
Compt. Onyeka, who could not his feelings , had said that beyond the core functions of the service which include revenue collection for the Federal Government, trade facilitation, and suppression of smuggling activities, both land and sea, , Tin-can Island Command, which is under his Leadership will do everything within its powers ‘’to build a strong and formidable synergy with all security agencies at the port including the NNFB, Badagry, to contain the activities of the economic saboteurs, perpetuating their criminal activities through seaport.
He may have gladdened the heart of the Navy Captain when he applauded the efforts of the Nigerian Navy ‘’for providing adequate security to Nigerian maritime domain to forestall the activities of the pirates and sea robbers’’.
In apparent response to the Tin-can Area Controller’s remarks, the Naval Chief had given kudos CGC Adeniyi led Customs for always rising to the occasion of Joint Border Patrol, as currently obtained around the Seme and Badagry axis, in Lagos state, noting that ‘’such inputs is pivotal to the success of Joint operations to contain the activities of smugglers across the country’’.
While Compt. Onyeka, the Area Controller of Tin-CAN Can Island Area Controller could host the NFB, Badagry of the Navy, Compt. Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu, his Counterpart at Ogun I, Idiroko, home state of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and one of the newly promoted Customs Comptrollers, who had given his words to strengthen security along the Nigerian borders with the Republic of Benin was said to have made a strategic visit to the security agencies Chiefs in the state.
He was said to have repeatedly said to the hearing of the security Chiefs visited at Abeokuta, the state Capital, of the necessity of a strong and sustain the ongoing Cooperation between the various security agencies in the south west state to combat the threat of smuggling and other cross -border crimes. He was said to have sounded it loud and clear that these could only be achieved by intelligence sharing, resources and expertise between the service and the other security agencies operatives in Ogun state. We must form a united front against smuggling’’, he had said. He was said to have visited the NPF, NDLEA, NIS, and DSSS, Headquarters in the Ogun state Capital, Abeokuta.
Even Compt. Joseph Olugbuyi Adelaja, believed to be wearing a big shoe left behind by Compt. Ben Nkem Oramalugo, who had been redeployed to Seme Command, described as the busiest Land order station in the African Continent because of the volume of cargoes that passes through the joint border Community was said to have visited the office of the Headquarters of the NPF, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Commission, NSCDC and NIS including Headquarters of Division, Ibadan, to solicit for their support, to combat smuggling activities in Oyo and Osun states and enhance legitimate trade.
Compt. Ben Nkem, an anti-smuggler Czar, who had carved a niche for himself at Kebbi Command in north western Nigeria may have known the importance of the NFOB, and 234 Rece Regiment Badagry, operatives in containing the sea, creek and watersides smugglers that he has sustained the close working relationship he met ground, revived the dead joint border security Committee, that the Command continues reap the benefits of the collaboration. This is evident going by the spectacular Contraband seizures that had been made by the Command ranging from Cannabis Sativa, foreign parboiled rice, and second-hand clothing, among others.
