Assistant Superintendent of Customs, Usman Abdul, is the Public Relations Officer, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Nigeria Customs Service. He joined the Service in 2011 and has served in the enforcement and Public Relations Unit of various Commands before his deployment to MMIA Command on Monday, February 12, 2024. In this interview with ZAINAB JUNAID he clarifies the allegations put against Nigeria Customs officers by passengers at MMIA over deliberate rigorous scrutiny carried out to extort, harass them and also reveals how open door policy, mutual collaboration with critical stakeholders enhance operations at the Airport. Excerpts:
There are allegations put against Customs officers of the Command over deliberate rigorous scrutiny of passengers on arrival at MMIA, Lagos, in a bid to extort them, indiscriminate harassment and currency declaration issue. What’s your position on this as the image maker of the Command?
Our passengers need to understand the procedures and processes to be adhered to upon arrival and departing the country.
They need to know that we have other sister agencies that are involved in the screening process, and we all play critical roles in this area.
Customs is not responsible for the alleged offence because we uphold a high level of professionalism in our operations and we value the importance of every citizen in the country and also trade facilitation.
In fact, the Acting Area Controller, DC JJ Madaki, constantly engages us in a weekly meeting, to ensure strict compliance to extant laws and also to impose more discipline in all officers.
Regarding currency declaration, we recently observed that most passengers find it reluctant to declare full assets at the point of entry. They rather see it as a means of extortion and this is why we have continued to orientate them on the importance of honest declaration.
Besides, our Customs Intelligence and disciplinarian Unit (Customs Police) carry out 24 hours operations to ensure all officers do not engage in any form of indiscipline.
The currency declaration is done either verbally or in written form accordingly. Regardless of the method of declaration, an examination must be conducted to verify the declaration. Should we detect under-declaration, all these we do to enhance operations at the Airport.
Regarding questions about passengers’ destinations and the purpose of their journey, Customs officers ask routine and harmless questions to profile passengers. This practice helps to avoid the need to check every passenger individually, thereby streamlining the process and improving efficiency.
Would you please give a summary of your journey in the Service before your deployment to MMIA?
I actually joined the Service in 2011. I have served in the enforcement Unit in Ogun State, before the Command was divided into two- Ogun 1 and 11. From there I was deployed to Bauchi in Zone D and later to Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa Commands. This is from 2017- 2024.
I started my Public Relations career at this Command and the task really honed my skills in the area of protecting the image of the Command and simultaneously creating mutual relationships with our strategic partners. I was later posted to MMIA on Monday, February 12, 2024 as the image maker of the Command which I hold till date.
With the knowledge gained from the previous Commands, what PR strategies have you deployed at the Airport?
Having up-skilled myself more on PR strategy, I decided to deploy proactive measures to issues here. As the image maker of MMIA Customs, I have been proactive in attending to incidence before they actually occur. I always ensure necessary requirements are in place to enhance smooth operations.
Under my able Acting Area Controller, DC JJ Madaki, we’ve always operated an open door policy to meet up with the demands of passengers and critical partners.
I see PR tasks as an avenue to embrace new opportunities, ideas, deploy new initiatives to meet the demands of our critical stakeholders who are always the reason behind every legitimate trade.
The management ensures we are constantly trained to actualize our set mandate and we are always intact for unforeseen contingencies. As PR personnel, we sleep with our eyes open to ensure things are in order. One can be called at any time, be it midnight or daylight to resolve issues.
“Customs is not responsible for the alleged offence because we uphold a high level of professionalism in our operations and we value the importance of every citizen in the country and also trade facilitation”
Do you have other areas where you bring your expertise to bear to enhance operational activities at the Airport?
Since my assumption as the image maker of the Command in February 2024, I leveraged on what my predecessor did and also improved on the initiatives I met on ground, especially the complaint channel which is now more effective. Once complaints related to the airport are lodged at headquarters, it is channeled directly to me and I’m always alert to resolve them. I adopt an open door policy to ensure demands are met amicably.
Secondly, when we realized that passengers need more orientation on processes and procedures to be adhered to upon arrival and departing the country through designated Customs Airports, we provide guides in the form of a pamphlet and make it available to all passengers.
This is part of the initiatives deployed under the Acting Area Controller to reduce high levels of non-compliance at Airport and also reduce all forms of inefficiencies.
We always ensure that our activities align with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC Adewale Adeniyi.
Also, we have screens mounted at the terminals to display basic roles of Customs at the Airports and I ensure there’s no disruption to its functionality. It works 24 hours. All these are done to enhance efficiency at the airport.
What are the expected inward and outward declarations of passengers?
For expected inward and outward declarations of passengers, they are not expected to leave Customs Area until their baggage has been cleared on arrival.
Passengers are required by the law to produce every piece of their baggage to the officer on baggage duties. They need to understand that there is a dual channel system, which are two designated exits.
There is a path for passengers with nothing to declare and a path for passengers with goods to declare. Once they are in doubt of which exist to pass through, they should endeavour to pass the red square channel, that is the path for passengers with goods to declare. This is to be on a safer side.
Secondly, they should understand that for used personal household effects, unused personal effects or gifts not exceeding a value of N50, 000.00 (excluding jewelry, photographic equipment, electronic and other luxury goods) are admissible to exemption from import duty.
Also, personal and household effects which landed at any Customs formation within two months of the arrival of the passenger, and that of a Nigerian citizen that has residency outside the limits of its jurisdiction (not less than nine months) are also admissible to exempt from import duty.
Provided the baggage is not interpreted to include any vehicle or any goods intended for sales, barter or exchange. This is as found in entitlement order, Section 4a and 4c. All these among others are for arrival.
At departure, passengers accompanied baggage for exportation must be made available for customs examination while prior permission to load unaccompanied baggage must be obtained on a written declaration.
However, on declaration of currency, passengers departing or arriving Nigeria are required to declare currencies and other forms of negotiable instruments or precious stones or metal to NCS.
All currencies or negotiable instruments in excess of $10,000 must be declared by passengers, otherwise, it is seen as an offense punishable under the law. All these are well explained in the pamphlet.
What is the relationship like with the strategic partners?
Well, aside from passengers, we have our strategic stakeholders with whom we maintain mutual relationships to enhance our operations.
We deal with the DHL, EMS, ARAMEX, UPS among others. They are the courier companies that offer package delivery and other logistics services and our officers are at strategic positions to work and collaborate with them, to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Most of our revenue is from these stakeholders, we ensure they are being compensated for their positive contributions. They’ve always been recognized at the International Customs Day by the World Customs Organization for their contributions to trade facilitation.
So we value them a lot like the passengers, that’s why we educate our passengers more on a compliant level. We have cordial relationships with them and we will continue to orientate them on necessary procedures to adhere to trade facilitation.
Secondly, I will like to use this opportunity to credit our compliant partners/traders for adding positive value to our operations and will enjoin them not to relent on their efforts in this regard.
This is because through collaboration we can achieve the common goal of enhancing trade facilitation and curbing illegal activities and they are trying, and we are also doing our best to ensure things run optimally.
What is your advice to your officers?
Firstly on my part, I will continue to deploy proactive measures to enhance operational efficiency at the Command and promote trade facilitation, in line with the policy thrust of CGC Adewale Adeniyi and under the directives of my Area Controller.
Also, to other officers here in the Command, I will urge them to continue to uphold professionalism in the course of discharging their duties, they saw how the Zonal Coordinator, ACG Yusuf, gave commendation, reward to deserving officers, they should put in their best, emulate the act of discipline, contribute positively to achieving the set mandate of the Command.
