By Victoria Hanson The Federal Operations Unit Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS) Ikeja, Lagos, has appealed for synergy and support between the unit and the media.
Comptroller of the Unit, Mohammed Uba Garba, who made the appeal on Friday while briefing maritime reporters in Lagos disclosed that without the media, the world would be at stake, as people would have been in darkness due to lack of information.
Garba who recently resumed office in the Unit noted that there is high rates of smuggling in the west compared to East due to enormous economic activities in the region.
As such, the unit is at its fore front to ensure that illegal importation is reduced to zero percent, he said.
He outlined the core functions of NCS to include revenue generation, community services and reduction of smuggling and therefore assured that these values would be fulfilled.
In his words, “I am assuring that this unit is out to generate more revenue to the country and also put more efforts to curtail smuggling activities in the country. Therefore, I am appealing to the media for collaboration, as Customs can never be aware of all the illegal activities taking place in the country.
The Zone A boss noted that there is need for societal sensitization on the effects of smuggling in the country and however called on all Nigerians to join hands in moving the country forward.
While commending the media for their efforts to disseminate information to the people, he seized the opportunity to appeal for balance reportage before disseminating any information to the public.
In his efforts to eliminate illegal activities, he said that he is taking his time to understand the environment properly especially Badagry area, and other business areas and also making plans to move around the area where the activities is mostly carried out, so as to capture people who are involved in such acts.
Professional Customs Officers are deployed to various locations, campaign against smuggling will be carried out, even in a smaller scale as some of the illegal actions is due to lack of adequate information, with these, 3 million smuggling activities would be eliminated, he assured.
