The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it will soon deploy
drones at the Seme border in Lagos state for effective patrol and to check
smuggling activities.
Modupe Aremu, NCS zone A coordinator and an assistant
comptroller-general (ACG), disclosed this on Monday, during a working visit to
the Seme area command.
According to her, border management surveillance will be
done electronically through the use of drones to ensure that there is aerial
overview of the border.
“Seme command visit is the end of my tour in zone A, and I
must commend all the commands. They account for over 80 percent revenue
collection by the NCS and so they should keep up the good work,” Aremu said.
“With the tour of all commands, I have seen that all the
officers are doing well but they can do better. And I am telling them that they
should expect impromptu visits from the zonal coordinator. So, they should not
relax on the job.
“Also, e-customs N300 billion contract, that is, end-to-end
automation that is about to kick-off, is about information and communication
technology connectivity. When it comes on board, we are going to have
electronic signature, drones patrolling the border.”
She said the service is trying to minimise person-to-person
contact to reduce human interaction and make the work faster and more
efficient.
Aremu asked the customs officers to keep abreast of the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol in order to
understand procedures.
On enforcement activities, she urged the command to keep up
the work done as the country needs the service to properly secure its borders.
She expressed hope that the scanner at the border would
start functioning to help simplify processes as much as possible.
She also asked the command to ensure proper compilation of
case files and prosecution of arrested suspects to show the seriousness of the
service in fighting smuggling.
In his remarks, Bello Jibo, customs area comptroller, Seme
area command, said enforcement activities were not affected by the border
closure as the command intercepted 1,244 suspected smuggled goods with duty
paid value of over N856 million.
He also highlighted areas of collaboration between the NCS
and the host community.
“The command has a very good understanding with the host
community and in cementing this relationship. The command built and handed over
a modern toilet facility to the Badagry West Development Area and partnered
with an NGO to equip the Badagry United Football Club,” he said.
“The challenges faced has to do with ICT interconnectivity
at the joint border patrol, signing of bilateral agreement, connection of the
barracks to the national grid, and inadequate junior staff.”
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