Customs Dissolves Anti-Smuggling Strike Force

To promote best practices and enhance trade facilitation, the Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has approved the dissolution of CGC’s Strike Force Teams with immediate effect.

Customs National Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs,  Abdullahi  Maiwada, who made this known in a statement yesterday said the Customs boss also directed the Federal Operations Units to take over the strike force responsibilities across the Federation henceforth.

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This development, according to the service, is in tandem with his vision of ensuring result-oriented anti-smuggling strategies while facilitating legitimate trade.

The statement noted that consequently, the Ag. CGC has therefore given the Federal Operations Units and other Enforcement formations the marching order to use all the instruments of law available to discharge their duties.

He also directed strict adherence to enshrined Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and rules of engagement while dealing decisively with economic saboteurs.

To ensure transparency and accountability, all anti-smuggling formations have also been mandated to boldly ascribe their names on all operational vehicles to checkmate the possibility of excesses, misconduct, and human rights abuse.

The Ag.  CGC, in his maiden address, stated unequivocally that all encumbrances and other obstacles to trade facilitation would be dismantled while fostering a new culture of consultation and compliance.