MU’AZU TAKES THE HELM AT APAPA CUSTOMS, VOWS TO BUILD ON OSHOBA’S LEGACY

Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu has officially assumed duty as the 33rd Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, pledging to consolidate the Command’s achievements in revenue generation, trade facilitation, enforcement, and discipline.

The assumption-of-office and farewell ceremony, held Tuesday, 29 September 2026, at the Apapa Command Auditorium, was attended by heads of security and regulatory agencies, government representatives, terminal operators, shipping stakeholders, customs brokers, and other partners, who delivered goodwill messages to both the outgoing and incoming Controllers.

In his inaugural address, Mu’azu described his appointment as “a great honour and privilege,” thanking Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR PhD fnipr, psc+ for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged to be guided by the Service’s three strategic pillars—consolidation, collaboration, and innovation—with emphasis on revenue integrity, efficient trade facilitation, professionalism, and stakeholder engagement.

On revenue, he stressed: “Every revenue due to government must be properly assessed and collected, and every decision taken by our officers must stand the test of scrutiny over time.” He assured stakeholders of deeper collaboration with importers, exporters, agents, shipping companies, terminal operators, port authorities, and partner agencies, noting that Apapa Port must remain efficient and responsive to legitimate trade.

Mu’azu also vowed to eliminate avoidable delays in cargo processing: “Unnecessary human delays in cargo processing, otherwise known as Non-Tariff Barriers, shall not be tolerated henceforth.” He emphasized that legitimate cargo must move without obstruction once requirements are met, while officers must uphold discipline, professionalism, and courtesy.

Acknowledging the record set by his predecessor, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba (Rtd), Mu’azu highlighted Oshoba’s landmark achievements, including a historic monthly revenue collection of ₦323 billion in July 2026 and a single-day record of ₦28.102 billion on 18 August 2026. “This is indeed a record to reckon with and strive towards matching. It is a Herculean task upon myself and my team to match and surpass such a record,” he said.

He also commended Oshoba’s contributions to enforcement, trade facilitation, and modernization initiatives such as B’Odogwu, Advance Ruling, the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, One-Stop Shop, and Non-Intrusive Inspection technology. Oshoba, in his farewell remarks, noted that Advance Ruling “provides legitimate traders with greater predictability and clarity on Customs treatment before importation, thereby reducing uncertainty and strengthening confidence in the trading environment.”

In his parting message, Oshoba thanked officers, men, and stakeholders for their support, stressing that the Command’s achievements were collective. “Discipline must remain our foundation, professionalism our standard, and excellence our aspiration,” he charged, urging continued cooperation with his successor.

Mu’azu, in response, called for collective effort: “The success we seek cannot be achieved by the CAC alone. It requires our collective integrity and willingness to uphold the standards of the Service.” He assured stakeholders of an open, constructive relationship founded on fairness, respect, and national interest, expressing confidence that Apapa Command will remain a model of efficient revenue administration, legitimate trade facilitation, and professional conduct.