Adeniyi resumes duties as helmsman of new International Airport Customs command

The one- time National Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Wale Adeniyi, on Monday assumed duties as the first Area Controller of the newly created Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.

While Adeniyi now takes charge of the new international airport command which was carved out of the old airport command, Jayne Shoboiki superintendents over Murtala Mohammed Area Command which sphere of influence is cargo section of the airport comprising SAHCOL, NAHCO etc.

It would be recalled that the Board of the Customs service recently created eight additional area commands to boost the efficiency of the services.

At the short handling over ceremony on Monday, Shoboiki, explained that the command was split into two following the restructuring of additional eight commands that were created out of the existing ones.

She said that the NCS Board at its 50th regular meeting on May 21, 2019, approved the un-bundling and created eight Customs Area Commands to enhance administrative convenience and boost revenue generation of the service.

Shoboiki said that this was part of the mandate of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, to enable the service generate more revenue for government.

“The Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) Customs Command had been divided into two, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, while the other one remains Murtala Muhammed Airport Area Command.

“I am glad to introduce to you the seasoned officer, Comptroller Wale Adeniyi now in charge of MMIA. I beg you all to give him more cooperation you have given me to enable him succeed.

“The same God that has been seeing me through will surely support him, God will help him to excel.

“Coming here as an Area Controller because this command was not initially created as an area command; it will enable the command to generate more revenue for the government and Nigeria Customs being the second largest revenue generating agencies for government to ensure that maximum revenue is collected for government,” Shoboiki said.

She, however, called on port users to improve on their level of compliance to enable customs achieve it aims to generate revenue and facilitate trade.
In his response, Adeniyi commended the Customs under the leadership of Ali for giving him the opportunity to head the command.

“I want to count on the understanding of all of you and guidance of all of you together to tackle all these challenges and make this place better than I met it.

“We need to, of course, realise the objectives of the management in splitting the command into two.

“It is going to be a lot of work and I am sure we are all ready to work. It is now time for us to work because we have to put that work first before any other consideration.

“My office will be opened to all of you. I will be looking forward to your suggestions, proposal because we are practically going to set up this command.

“I can assure you it is going to be fun working with me but also be a lot of hard work because we really have to work very hard,” Adeniyi said.

He commended Shoboiki for the foundation work she had established, saying that it was a long time he visited the command and I could see some level of sanity that was not existing before which was due to the kind of structure she puts in place.

Adeniyi urged her to continue to support the command until it would be able to stand like the existing commands in the service.

The Area Commands created include the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Area Command from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Command with headquarters at the MMIA; the Ogun II Area Command from Ogun Area Command with headquarters at Abeokuta; North Eastern Marine Command from Eastern Marine Command with headquarters at Makurdi and Kaduna Area Command from Kaduna/Katsina Area Command with headquarters at Kaduna.

Others are Kebbi Area Command from Sokoto/Kebbi/Zamfara Area Command with Headquarters at Birnin- Kebbi; Kwara Area Command from Niger/Kwara/Kogi Area Command with headquarters at Ilorin; North Western Marine Command from Western Marine Command with headquarters at Lokoja and Port Harcourt Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Area Command from PHC 1 Area Command with headquarters at Onne.