CAC, Seme Customs Command
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]omptroller Mohammed Garba is a man of immense mettle and a completely detribalized human being with a profound depth of character, whose humility, devoid of discrimination, embraces all and sundry. He soars like an eagle and exudes reverence and integrity. A pragmatic leader full of benevolence; he gives hope to the hopeless, welfare succor to the poor and needy. To everyone who crosses his path, he is a light. He is a friend to the staff , a role model to the young,a helper to many and a visionary man.
Comptroller Mohammed Garba the present Controller in charge of Seme Border Command fits into the mold where scholars conclude that great men and women achieve success through hardwork and resilience. He remains the luckiest in terms of favourable circumstances. He is one of the few officers that have served round trip the most successful commands in Nigeria. Comptroller Mohammed Garba is not disposed to unnecessary talks and frivolities; a no nonsense man who had all through his leadership role in the service proved himself to be a leader that matches words with actions.
Since he was redeployed as the Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, he has magically turned around the operations of the command wise with unprecedented revenue generated since he took over.He has hitherto raised the performance bar of the unit to an exampled level in the history of the command. This is due to the fact that the refined officer is adjudged according to maritime watchers to be a revenue oriented officer as well as his encomiums emanated from commands with performance based on revenue. Many senior customs officers hailed the Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) led management’s decision of redeploying Comptroller Mohammed Garba to the Seme Border Command to pilot the affairs of the unit knowing fully well he is a great performer and a goal getter; bearing in mind that the command is one of the nerve centres of the Nigeria Customs Service.His aggressive approach and the proactiveness of his Command officers will increase revenue generation of the command, adding that Nigeria Customs Service main target is revenue generation and trade facilitation with much efforts and emphasis on blockage of revenue leakages through 100 percent examination of cargoes.
Comptroller Mohammed Garba wants to leave the Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) better than he met it is not in doubt. This is because he is a man that is associated with result from his days in the lower cadre in the Service to this present position of the Controller of Customs. The new reformed Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service under Compt. Garba has engaged in a renewed effort of aggressive anti-smuggling operation there by tightening the land border against smuggling activities.
The command is deploying all necessary tools to ensure that the core mandate of the Service (revenue generation, facilitation of legitimate trade and suppression of smuggling) amongst others, is vigorously achieved. This is because actualising the functions of revenue generation and legitimate trade facilitation depend solely on how smuggling activities are aggressively suppressed to the barest minimum.It is against this backdrop that the anti-smuggling unit of the command has intensified its operations in order to curb the menace of trans-border crimes (smuggling) and other vices.
The ongoing aggressive patrol by the anti-smuggling operation unit of illegal routes and flanks of the border is yielding tremendous results and has translated to the seizure of numerous items. Comptroller Mohammed Garba disclosed that combating smuggling is a major responsibility that the Nigeria Customs Service is saddled with and as such, compliance with federal government fiscal policies is not an option to an institution that is bestowed with such enormous responsibilities.He further stated that officers are adequately motivated and re-oriented to execute their functions creditably and discretionally without compromise.
Compt. Garba further reiterated that in order to key into the presidential mandate (Reform, Restructure and Revenue generation), smuggling activities have to be confronted headlong in order to prevent revenue leakages. This reality has necessitated the proactive approach of the enforcement unit to ensure smuggling activities is maximally suppressed in order to enhance and boost revenue generation.
The Controller, while showcasing the seizures made last month, charged all officers and men to maintain the tempo in combating smuggling activities across the frontier.