The editorial team of Inside Watch Africa (IWA), paid a courtesy visit to the Customs Area Controller of Kano/Jigawa Area Command Comptroller MA Umar in his office in Kano on Tuesday 22nd March 2022. Speaking with us during the visit; Comptroller Umar who took over the reins of affairs at the command just a little over three weeks said as a matter of policy he was determined constantly effectively engage stakeholders in the area command.
Comptroller Umar said that he is clearly aware that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), as the lead agency entrusted with the responsibility of curbing smuggling in Nigeria, cannot afford to work in a ‘Silo’ that they as Customs Officers stand to benefit a whole lot by ensuring that at every point in time they get all stakeholders in the Maritime industry in Nigeria on the same page with them, in terms of policies and strategies they intend to deploy to achieve their primary objectives which are essentially suppressing smuggling and facilitating trade in Nigeria.
Comptroller Umar said that in his opinion one of the major achievements he has made in the little over three weeks he had spent in office as Area Controller, apart from the several seizures he made is the fact that he had also paid courtesy visits to the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, The Commander of the 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army Kano, Kano state Commissioner of Police, the Zonal Commander of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC as well as the Area Manager of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN.
