Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Auwal Mohammed delivered a heartfelt valedictory speech on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, as he officially handed over the reins of Apapa Area Command to Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba. He began his speech by acknowledging the new Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, as well as the Principal Officers and Unit Heads. ACG Auwal expressed his mixed feelings of joy and emotion as he delivered his speech.
ACG Auwal reflected on his eventful tenure as the Customs Area Controller of the command, which came to a happy end when he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs and became a member of the service management. He thanked the Almighty Allah for His grace and mercy and expressed deep appreciation to the Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for giving him the appointment.
While Auwal expressed his joy at the opportunity to serve the country in a higher office, he also felt a sense of nostalgia as he would miss his colleagues, officials from other services, and all other stakeholders in the Apapa port community. He recalled his arrival at the Area Command seven months ago as the Area Controller, where he sought the cooperation and support of all stakeholders to succeed.
ACG Auwal expressed gratitude for the support he received from the stakeholders in Apapa Area Command. He confirmed that almost everyone had supported him and worked as a united family, selflessly pursuing their official responsibilities with patriotism for the greater good of the country. Despite operating during a period of great challenges, they achieved commendable feats as the premier port in Nigeria. Despite a drastic reduction in the volume of trade in Nigeria due to the electioneering period and other factors, they worked harder and achieved greater results.
According to Auwal, their collective optimism led to the collection of over N676 billion in revenue for seven months in 2023, with the highest monthly revenue collection of N136 billion in August 2023. He highlighted that on August 3, 2023, the command achieved the highest daily revenue in its history, collecting N10.09 billion. These achievements were the result of dedication, intelligence, commitment, and a zero-tolerance policy for duty evasion.
ACG Auwal also mentioned the intervention steps they took, such as issuing alerts and demand notices, to collect identified shortfall revenues in duty payments after thorough examinations. He emphasized that their responsibilities were to collect revenue, suppress smuggling, and facilitate lawful trade, all of which required trust and a commitment to never betray that trust. He acknowledged the inter-agency relationship with other government organizations, which contributed to making the area a crime-free zone and deterring unlawful activities. Seizures of arms, drugs, and prohibited trade goods during the seven months were evidence of this successful collaboration.
ACG Auwal expressed his gratitude to all the government organizations, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Department of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Navy (NN), Nigeria Police (NP), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Port Health Service (PHS), and others. He stressed the importance of inter-agency synergy in combating crime and criminals in the port environment. He requested that his successor be given a higher level of cooperation and that the existing synergy be sustained and improved upon.
In conclusion, ACG Auwal expressed his belief that he would always have reasons to interact and work together with the stakeholders in the future. He thanked everyone and prayed for God’s blessings.