By Okey Iroegbu
Comptroller Birshi Abdullahi Balogun, the Customs Area Controller of Federal Operations Unit FOU Zone 'C', Owerri no doubt has returned sanity to the Southeastern, the operational base of zone 'C'. Since the assumption of office as the Customs Officer in charge of the zone,
there has never been a ddull moment. At a press briefing which took place on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at Government Warehouse Aduwawa Benin, Edo State, the Controller reiterated the need to get the public informed on some of the Customs activities as an "innovative tradition of the unit." "This press conference is aimed at informing you about the recent milestone successes we have achieved as a unit, team, and family, particularly in the areas of legitimate trade facilitation, increasing revenue
collections, collaborating with relevant Security Agencies and critical stakeholders, enforcing government fiscal policy, and suppressing anti-smuggling activities. "In our effort to inform the general public on the productive activities of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Operations Units (FOU) Zone C, Owerri has continued to work
strategically as a team and goal-oriented unit in carrying out its constitutional mandate. "The unit under my watch and the able leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC BA Adeniyi MFR, shall continue to deploy an intelligence-led strategy in our day-to-day
operations, which has yielded tremendous successes in our interventions and anti-smuggling drive," he said. Comptroller Balogun was very happy with the performance of his officers which he considered to be at their highest form. "Our officers and men exhibited the highest level of professionalism and relentless efforts in the implementation of government fiscal policy by enforcing the provisions of the NCS Act 2023 as it relates to Import, Export, Revenue Generation, Security of lives and properties," he said. these operations which took place at various sector of the zone had the followingitems as
seizures: 1. Dry salted Donkey skin 3022 pieces packed in sacks; 2. Used Tyres; 3. Used Clothing in bales and bags; 4. Bags of foreign parboiled rice in 50kg and 25kg; 5. Foreign wine in cartons without NAFDAC number; 6. Foreign cosmetics, 58 cartons without NAFDAC number; 7. Foreign Geisha in cartons; 8. Bags of woven empty 50kg sacks loaded; 9. Two used trucks, Mercedes trucks, and a Scania truck; 10. One used Toyota Tundra SUV; 11. One used J5 Bus and others. The seizure was worth a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N505,520,886.00 (Five hundred and five million, five hundred and twenty thousand, eight hundred and eighty-six naira only). In
keeping with the existing synergy with other sister agencies and security operatives, these some of the seizures were handed over to the relevant agencies. "In our inter-agency collaboration, the seized Cannabis Sativa shall be handed over to NDLEA, whereas the Medicament is to be handed over to NAFDAC, and the seized Dry Salted Donkey Skin will be handed over to NESREA and so on," he said. The role the Comptroller General is playing to earn these successes cannot be over emphasized. Comptroller Balogun saw the successes and achievements as a result of the purposeful leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, a high level of professionalism, commitment, and teamwork. "We remain committed to sanitizing the zone of any form of illicit trade activities and facilitating legitimate trade. Let me use this medium to thank the amiable CGC and his entire management team for the dynamic leadership styles and qualities. "We call on our traders and stakeholders to be compliant, as our officers are professionally trained to checkmate the activities of non-compliant traders and
block likely areas of revenue leakages. The press friendly Customs Controller commended the media for their relentless efforts in making sure the Anti-smuggling activities, innovations and the giant strides of the unit and the service in general spreads across nation at large.
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