Superintendent of Customs, Mailafiya Magaji, is the Public Relations Officer of Western Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service, who has worked in various Commands of Zone B of the Service as an Excise Officer before his deployment to WMC. In this interview with ZAINAB JUNAID, he clarifies how PR strategies have motivated a significant drop in smuggling incidence on waterways and also identifies logistics as a major challenge faced by patrol teams on the high sea. Excerpts:
Since your deployment to this Command in October 2022, how have you brought your expertise to bear in combating smuggling activities on high sea as well as the creeks within your area of responsibilities?
As the chief communicator of Western Marine Command, I’ve used communication to persuade, change beliefs and attitude of relevant stakeholders that deal directly with the Command.
You know that the key component of Public Relations is Communication; I’ve successfully built mutual relationships with the Command and community likewise stakeholders that we relate with.
Since the new Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller PK Bamisaye took over the mantle of leadership, he has been advocating for more cooperation of the Command with relevant stakeholders that deal directly with us in order to enhance trade facilitation and I’ve always ensured I key into his vision which aligns with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs in terms of collaboration, consolidation and innovations.
Our Command is in charge of enforcement of anti-smuggling activities on waterways. It’s a replica of the Federal Operations Unit on the water.
So I use communications to change people’s habit towards illicit activities to become better citizens.
Would you please give an overview of the activities of your Command in the last nine months in the area of seizures?
Our officers and men have continued to showcase tremendous efforts in driving anti-smuggling activities on waterways and the creeks. They successfully intercepted over N845 million worth of prohibited items such as Premium Motor Spirit, Cannabis Sativa, foreign parboiled rice in nine months. The wealth of experience put to bear by Comptroller PK Bamisaye made this feat a realizable one.
In the first half year 2024, we recorded 26 incidents of seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N843, 424,000 which represents a significant increase of N724, 824,665 from the 2023 performance of N118, 581,335, a percentage increase of 611.26% by the Command in the mid-year.
Top among the commodities we intercepted for the first six months of 2024 is Cannabis Sativa, which has a total of 5,685 loaves amounting to N711, 700,500 DPV. This contributed a huge chunk of the impressive half year performance.
We have a total seizure of 925 bags of 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice made between January and June 2024 contributing to a duty paid value of N97, 448,000 for subject commodity to the Command’s performance, a figure that is above the 2023 DPV figure of N86,600,000 by over N10,000,000.
Another commodity that contributed to the notable mid-year performance of our Command is the interception of Petroleum Motor Spirit. A comprehensive analysis of interceptions of PMS carried out revealed a total seizure of 21,500 litres PMS with a DPV of N14, 186,000.00 was made in the period under review as against 17,865 litres of N2, 707,433.00 for the same period in 2023.
In September 2024, we made two seizures of 2,975 litres, equivalent to 119 gallons of 25litres of PMS having a combined duty paid value of N2, 334,475.00. This was against the seizures we made for the same month in the corresponding year 2023, where three seizures with DPV of N113,434,000 were made.
I believe the low record is a reflection of the present harsh economic realities on the waterways which has led to a reduction in trading activities. Likewise, the positive impactful and complementary roles played by sister Commands- Seme and Ogun 1 Area Commands, Operation Whirlwind and Joint Border Patrol Drill have contributed greatly to this corresponding reduction in smuggling activities on our waterways as the offending goods no longer find their ways to the waterways from the land.
“We make smuggling difficult for economic saboteurs, ensuring they follow the due process of importation rather than engaging in smuggling activities through the creeks”
To what extent has the Command engaged critical stakeholders and agencies in your area of responsibilities and how has this engagement helped to enhance trade facilitation?
Well, in order to enhance anti-smuggling activities on waterways, the Command under the leadership of Comptroller PK Bamisaye, on September 25, 2024, embarked on a courtesy visit to critical stakeholders within our jurisdiction (Customs Area Controllers of Ogun 1 & 2).
This is to improve existing synergy and build strategic relationships with other Commands. Also, relationships with relevant stakeholders such as Barge Owner Association of Nigeria (BOAN), International Institute of Certified Forensic Investigation Professionals USA, INC.(IICFIP), Nigeria Army Topo Badagry, KLT and TinCan Customs Commands have been heightened by the Area Controller to enhance trade facilitation and also curb any form of smuggling activities on the creeks.
I have used and I’m still using my department to build strong synergy with stakeholders within our area of responsibilities. I ensure my tasks are delivered in line with the CAC’s vision and also in line with the three points of the CGC’s policy thrust.
In fact the Customs Area Controller was recently given a commendation letter by the CGC for sustaining synergy with Community leaders, other sister agencies. In May this year, he visited and hosted sisters agencies, barge Operators, host communities, paramount rulers of Badagry Kingdom, around May this year. He tried to leverage on the existing relationship with various stakeholders, giving encouragement on how to promote their businesses. This core function of PR deployed by the CAC is a main strategy used in engaging our critical stakeholders and the result is superb.
How has your office enhanced anti-smuggling activities, trade facilitation, and revenue generation?
That’s a great question, after receiving intelligence from stakeholders and other sister agencies, I efficiently disseminate this to our officers on the field and ensure they diligently utilize the intelligence in carrying out their responsibilities.
We make smuggling difficult for economic saboteurs, ensuring they follow due process of importation rather than engaging in smuggling activities through the creeks. Anti-Smuggling and revenue generation is an important aspect of the Service mandate but in the process of achieving this, we facilitate trade through efficient dissemination of information, disabuse people’s mind from misinformation and disinformation.
As a communicator, communication is very important in every aspect, we ensure proper information gets to stakeholders especially if you are part of the trade cycle so that you make sure that the right processes are being followed and the proper information is given.
I always ensure that the information going out is in accordance with the Rules of Engagement set aside by the National Public Relations Officer of the Service.
How is the level of compliance of the stakeholders following this engagement, any improvement so far?
Going through our half year report, it’s obvious there is no significant increase in smuggling activities, they have kept it at par for the first half of the year, and authoritatively I can tell you that smuggling incidents have dropped significantly on our waterways.
How has your relationship with community hosts benefited them?
There has been improvement since the new Customs Area Controller came in, he constantly engages officers on the field in meetings, promotes and encourages them to sustain good relationships with the host community. I’m very sure by the time the report of the second year will be out, there will be a serious drop in seizures but if at all the economic saboteurs get back on our waterways, our enforcement officers are always on alert to make their illegal businesses a point of regret.
Any forms of challenges in the course of discharging your duty?
Yes, the major challenge is non-availability of logistics on the high sea, especially for Marine Command. When there is a need to carry out an operation on the high sea, we always need a specialized boat that can take you on the high sea, which is not available. This hindered our operations, movement because the available boats are specialized for the creeks and cannot be used on high sea.
In order to monitor some illicit goods on the high sea, we need specialised boats to carry out such operations. Better high sea going boats that can navigate the sea are mostly needed. The available ones are specialized for the creeks which cannot be used on the high sea.
High sea requires specialised boats for monitoring smuggling on the sea.
What is your advice to the host community and general public?
Since the new CAC came, he has been advocating for more cooperation with the Service and I will also enjoin the public to always give intelligence where necessary.
The host community should see Customs as friends who understand the importance of trade facilitation and whose main objective is building a better economy for the country in line with the directives of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We are doing our best in building mutual relationships between the public and the Service, giving them necessary information needed to move their businesses to the next level. The NPRO has continued to avail them with clear information on trade facilitation, and this has continued to improve their perception on what they are engaging in.
So I always ensure I align myself with the National Public Relations agenda which is part of CGC’s agenda and we all work together to make business seamless for the stakeholders as they are a critical part of the trade cycle.
