From left: Comptroller Timi Bomodi receives the flag from Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, which marks his official assumption of duty at Customs Area Controller, Seme Border Command, Monday.

There was a repeat of history when two former Public Relations Officers PROs of the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptrollers Dera Nnadi mni and Timi Bomodi, again exchanged baton at the Seme Customs Area Command, Monday, this time as Customs Area Controllers CACs.

Recall that the acting Comptroller General of the service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi had last week approved the redeployment of Comptroller Nnadi from Seme to Tin Can Island Command while Comptroller Bomodi was redeployed from Kirikiri Lighter Terminal KLT Command to Seme, among other new appointments and transfer of officers.

Speaking at the official handover at the Seme Border Command, Comptroller Nnadi recalled with nostalgia that he also handed over to Comptroller Bomodi sometime in 2009 as the PRO at the Apapa Command. This was sequel to his redeployment to the Customs headquarters in Abuja by the then CGC, Abdullahi Dikko of blessed memory.

He also noted that Comptroller Bomodi, through a dint of hard work and professionalism, rose to become the National PRO and expressed the confidence that he was leaving the command in a good hand, who will not only build on his successes but also take it to higher heights.

On what he described as his modest milestones at the command, he recalled that the command was still grappling with the effects of the over three-year border closure, which negatively affected every segment of the joint border management including revenue but appreciated the CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for his support, which had helped to change the narrative judging by the current revenue profile and seizures the command made since January 23, 2023 when he assumed duty.

“Upon assumption of duty on the 23 of January, 2023, I pledged to adopt new strategies to boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan Lagos Corridor ALCO in line with the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.

“I also promised along with officers and men to encourage compliant traders along the corridor bearing in mind the challenges of the JBP as one that is still recovering from the effects of the border closure. With the support and cooperation of the officers and men of the command and other stakeholders, we have kept faith with that as shown by the revenue and seizures.

Nnadi disclosed that out of a revenue target of N1.96billion for the 2023 fiscal year, the command has already collected a total of N2.8billion as at Friday last week, which indicates 6.4per cent growth in excess of the projected revenue.

Meanwhile, Comptroller Bomodi, who thanked the outgoing CAC, promised to build on the successes already made. He indicated that he would embark on a tour of the operational areas of the command as well as the border communities with a view to having a first-hand information on the issues on ground in order to enhance a robust community relationship.

Speaking on his encounter and experience at the Seme Border Command, he said: “For the first time, I was posted to this command about 30 years as a young officer fresh from the training school and I was here for four years. I could still recall the anxieties and high expectations as trainees which we found different from the field job.

“With the support and cooperation of everyone; the officers and men as well as other sister agencies and indeed the trading community, we will build on the successes already made because a tree cannot make a forest. I will run an inclusive management system, so everybody will be involved. So it is not going to be a one man’s job, all hands must be on deck.

The Krake Seme Border, being one of the busiest in West Africa is crucial and strategic to the sub-region, especially in terms of flow of trade. So if Seme fails, the entire sub-region fails and if it succeeds, the entire sub-region succeeds and so we must do everything to ensure that it does not fail so it is not going to be business as usual.”