Touching Farewell!… Outgoing Customs Area Controller Sani Madugu Welcomes New man Ojobo Michael On A High Note

There is a change of baton at the Ogun Area Command of the Nigerian Customs.

Performer Sani Madugu just handed over to acting Area Controller DC Agbara Ojobo Michael.

The handover was officially effected via a touching farewell speech which welcomes the new head man with a very warm embrace.

To do justice to inspiring speech it is reproduced as made available by maiwada .a.a, the public relations officer for customs area controller, Ogun Area Command.

‘’ It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Idiroko Axis of Ogun Area Command and once again inform you on the tremendous successes recorded in revenue generation and anti-smuggling drive of the Command.

It is pertinent to inform you that, we have reinvigorated our efforts not only to sustain the tempo we have achieved in the previous year (810 seizures with DPV of N1,581,410,058.00 and total revenue of N6,162,559,790.13 from January to December, 2017), but rather strategies have been put in place to improve our performance. This assertion can be justified based on the successes recorded from January to date (18th April, 2018). During the aforementioned period, a total of N1, 413, 867, 209.00 was collected as revenue. Also, a total of 110 seizures with Duty Paid Value of 731, 009, 781.00 was made in the area of anti-smuggling. Items seized include: 118 vehicles (both tokunbo and means of conveyance), 16 motorcycles, 5, 512 bags of foreign rice (50 kg each), 78 bales/sacks of secondhand clothing/shoes/bags, 907 kegs of vegetable oil, 9 drums and 32 kegs (25litre each) of diesel, 5 drums of kerosene, 406 kegs of PMS (petrol) and 63 compressed book packs, 93 compressed coconut packs and quarter sack of Cannabis sativa (popularly known as Indian Hemp) among others items.

During the last press briefing held on 23rd of March, 2018, we promised to catapult punitive measures towards apprehension and prosecution of smugglers to serve as deterrent to others. It was stressed that the era of abandoned seizure (seizure without accomplice) is over. From the date we made the aforementioned pledge, six (6) suspects were arrested with various kinds of prohibited items suspected to have been smuggled into Nigeria. The processes of prosecuting such unpatriotic members of the public in the court of law are ongoing.

Permit me to align with a popular saying, “It’s really amazing when two strangers become the best of friends, but it’s really sad when the best of friends become two strangers”. Whatever has a beginning surely has an end and every end is a new beginning.

I reported to this Command on 25th April, 2017 as Customs Area Controller and diligently served my fatherland to the best of my ability for almost a year in Ogun state. I must confess that, I really enjoyed and cherished my stay with all of you, because you all gave me your best. You proved matured, dedicated, and loyal in the discharge of your duties. This is manifested in the successes we have achieved in revenue generation and anti-smuggling in the last one year.

I am very proud of you. We all enjoyed peace, harmony and good working relationship as brothers and sisters. Monthly targets and performance appraisals will come and go, but the memories of working with colleagues and all stakeholders including the Media, traditional institutions, eminent personalities, sister security agencies and host communities in Ogun state will linger in my memory forever.

To my respected colleague, I am today handing over to you a dedicated, loyal and responsible team that without any iota of doubt will accord you the necessary support. I am optimistic that the support given to me by the media and other critical stakeholders will surely be extended to you. Your posting is indeed a round peg placed in a round hole.

Finally, According to Charles M. Schulz “Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.”

I pray that God in his infinite mercies will continue to guide and protect all of us. Ameen.’’

Thank You