Dangladima scores Comproller Balogun High On Anti - Smuggling, Revenue Recovery

The Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Customs Service Zone C Headquarters Port Harcourt Rivers State, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Dangladima has Wednesday paid a working and familiarisation visit to customs Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The visit our Correspondent reports was in continuation of the tour of all the customs formations in Zone C.

Addressing the Officers and Men of the command, ACG Dangladima says the visit was sequel to the directive of the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR for the Coordinators to visit their zones, have first hand- information about their commands, interact with both the officers and men and the critical stakeholders.

Speaking further, ACG Dangladima stated that FOU Zone C is very important to Nigeria Customs Service and dear to the Comptroller General of Customs, saying that their operations were critical in Anti-Smuggling and revenue recovery, even as he scored Comptroller BA Balogun high on Anti-Smuggling and Revenue Recovery ,insisting that he has done well.

"I score Comptroller Balogun 99% on his performance so far."

Continuing,he said "You know that Customs doesn't just post officers to Federal Operations Units, but before you're posted here,you must have been profiled and found very knowledgeable."

"Comptroller Balogun is an intelligent officer and a team player,he knows everything about Customs "

"He knows the job I can attest to that" Dangladima add."If you're posted here,your profile must be high" ACG averred.

While Commending the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR on the achievements and innovations brought so far into the Nigeria Customs Service since assumption of Office two years ago, Dangladima described, Comptroller General’s performance as perfect.

"His performance is perfect"

"He is a seasoned Customs officer and a seasoned administrator, You know, he has been at the corridors of power for long, and knows what to do at any point in time, he is a very intelligent officer" ACG Dangladima stated.

On promotion, he said “Management wants to promote you and was involved in the marking of your recent concluded promotion examinations scripts”

"That goes a long way to show you that the CGC wants to bring integrity in the promotion process devoid of sentiment and therefore at the end, whatever you get,is the true reflection of your performance Whatever you see, take it in good fate, promotion comes from God and everybody can't be promoted the same time."

He charged them to have discipline as their touchstone and collaborate with their colleagues and treat everybody equal.

He also informed them that going forward; promotion would be determined by the level of an officer's educational improvement.

"Enroll in universities, attend the junior and Senior staff Courses at Gwagwalada , always be in constant contact with your families and collaborate with other sister agencies."

"Remember that the way you conduct yourselves matters and be security conscious” he advised.

The Zonal Coordinator said he was happy to be with them and insisted that whatever they get, God should be given priority.

"Whatever you get is from God and in whatever you do is God first. You can't do it yourself."

In his welcome address , the Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone C headquarters, Owerri, Comptroller BA Balogun says it was with great pleasure and a deep sense of duty that he welcomed the zonal Coordinator to the Federal Operations Unit headquarters, zone C, on the occasion of his official visit, describing the ACG's visit as an honour to his command and a demonstration of the ACG'S unwavering commitment to the growth, discipline, and operational efficiency of the great Service.

Saying “the visit provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our achievements, address our challenges, and renew our shared mission of enhancing the nation's revenue base and securing our borders against economic saboteurs."

He added that Zone C, covers a vast and dynamic terrain and according to him, that presented both operational opportunities and significant enforcement challenges.

But,he noted that despite that, he was proud to report that the officers and men of the Unit have remained committed,vigilant, and resilient in discharging their responsibilities.

Continuing, he stated that in the past months, his command "has recorded notable successes in the areas of anti-smuggling operations, intelligence-driven enforcement, and inter-agency collaboration."

"Our seizures include prohibited items such as foreign parboiled rice, second-hand clothing, used tyres, and other contraband, all intercepted through diligence and tactical precision. "

He reiterated that, "spectacular among the seizures being 3022 pieces of Dry Salted Donkey Skin with a Duty Paid Value (DPV)of N3.6 billion, intercepted and seized on 28th April, 2025 "

Comptroller Balogun also hinted that the Command revenue recovery efforts through demand notices and post-clearance audits have also yielded commendable results, which he noted contributed meaningfully to the economic growth and development.

He emphasized that those achievements were the product of teamwork, and in-line with policy thrust of the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, (MFR), "of Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation. "

He stated that despite the successes, recorded, his command still has much work to do. "Smugglers continue to evolve their strategies, and we remain proactive and concurrent in our operations 247."

“We must continue to invest in capacity building, data analytics and community engagement such as the service new Corporate Social Responsibility unit named (Customs Cares) to sustain our momentum." he said

Speaking further, he said," we are most grateful to the CGC and his management team for improving the welfare of the officers, providing the necessary required resources for the smooth operation of the service, such as Operational vehicles, officers accommodation among others”

On the challenges he said "Sir, FOU Zone ‘C’ Owerri, is faced with the challenge of lack of standard warehouse for the storage and safe keeping of its numerous detention and seizures, occasional operational constraints, and the need for further motivation of officers and men. "

"For emphasis, the Unit does not have a single warehouse thereby resulting in putting detention and seized items within and outside office premises, which posed a great security challenges coupled with the current security situation within the zone like the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and unknown gunmen, whose targets are security personnel. But God has been helping us. "

He said that nevertheless, they were confident that with the ACG's support and the leadership of the Comptroller General and his Management team those issues would continue to receive priority attention.

Comptroller Balogun described Zonal Coordinator 's visit as a great morale booster for his command which he emphasized has reaffirmed the importance of Customs role in national development and has according to him, strengthened their resolve to do more even as he said they were inspired by his leadership, and have assured him of their loyalty, professionalism, and unrelenting dedication to duty.

Showing gratitude,he said "We wish to use this opportunity to thank and appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs,Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and the Management for the recent allocation of 6 new and 6 old hilux vehicles to the Unit."

"This kind gesture will greatly reduce logistics challenges faced by the Unit before now” Balogun said.

However, the ACG was conducted round the command for first hand assessment of the clinic, the Gym, for Work- Life Balance and a parcel of land which the Comptroller said his Command is interested to acquire for the construction of a warehouse.

ACG was accompanied by Bodunde FA, Comptroller Zonal Administration, and Comptroller Peterson Akpan of Imo Abia Command among others.

Written by: Bon Peters, who hail from Port-Harcourt in Rivers State 

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