Headlines

Civil society group spurns corruption allegations against Jamoh, NIMASA DG.

Dr. Bashir Jamoh, NIMASA DG

The Eyewitness Reporter

A coalition of civil organisations has risen in stout defence of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh over a plethora of corruption allegations against him.

At a press conference in Abuja Wednesday, the coalition dismissed the allegations as baseless and political vendetta against the NIMASA DG by his political enemies who are intimidated by the soaring achievements of Jamoh at the agency.

It could be recalled that viral reports by some online news platforms (not the eyewitness news), make a series of allegations bordering on financial prolificacy against the NIMASA DG.

Speaking through Comrade Dele Anifowoshe, the National Secretary, CCSON, the coalition said there was no in-depth investigation before some media houses reported what they received as allegations from some persons they described as mischievous and unscrupulous elements.

According to Anifowoshe, the group, through its investigation, has discovered that the allegations against Dr Jamoh were sponsored by some disgruntled elements whose dirty businesses have been taken away and are now fighting back by using some sections of the media to report unverified facts.

“As Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria, CCSON, we have deemed it fit to debunk claims against the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, over alleged financial infractions which are not true as they make Nigerians to believe a lie.

“Our investigations revealed that the stories and reports put out there are all tissues of lies and baseless.

“It’s unfortunate, that some of these publications were hurriedly put together and some news media ran with them without doing due diligence through investigation to verify and balance their reportage.

“We want to make it clear that these allegations have never been verified and authenticated anywhere and anytime; rather they are deliberately cooked up by some unscrupulous elements who do not mean well for our country and peace, the Scribe of the coalition declared.

He therefore appealed to Nigerians to dismiss the report as cheap blackmail meant to discredit the good work of Dr Jamoh at NIMASA.

“We call on Nigerians to discard this cheap blackmail from persons who are out to defame the Director General of NIMASA who has positively transformed the agency and repositioned it for high productivity.”

According to him, the NIMASA boss is a game changer and go-getter who has transformed the image of the agency and attracted local and international recognition and awards.

“Industry players have showered encomium on his sterling performance since he took over the helm of affairs of the agency.

“Today, NIMASA is recognized for its performance by bringing the agency to be at par with its counterparts across the world based on its global best practices.

“Dr. Jamoh has stood out among those who were DGs of NIMASA by being gender sensitive and friendly, as the agency has 60 percent of directors as women under his leadership

“He has been able, through his proactive and pragmatic steps, to make the Agency have strong synergy between other relevant agencies and established international collaboration against piracy and other maritime offences resulting in an all-time reduction in vessel and crew attacks.

“With his personal involvement and engagement with the NIMASA Board, Executive Management Team and all staff of the agency, they have all worked assiduously to contribute to the success stories the nation’s foremost maritime administration has been associated with.

“He is currently on the move to ensure NIMASA scales up the performance of its statutory functions and activities to woo more investors, professionals and all stakeholders in the nation’s maritime industry to boost the economy,” he said, adding that “Now we have to double our efforts.”

The coalition therefore charged the NIMASA DG to remain focused and not to be distracted by the antics of what it described as mischief makers.

The group declared that the towering performance of Dr. Jamoh as the NIMASA DG has attracted both local and international recognition and accolades through awards.

“Media reports also have it that the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in its recent report had disclosed that piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which had in recent times become the global epicenter for sea piracy, fell to the lowest since Q2 2019 after Dr. Jamoh started enforcing the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also known as the Deep Blue Project.

“Based on the impact and achievements of the DG NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, since assumption of office, has won several awards including the 2020 Zik Prize in Public Policy.

“Also the prestigious media giant, Vanguard Media has given one of its highest awards to Dr. Jamoh as recognition and commendation of his radical transformation of NIMASA, which was the ‘Public Sector Icon (Maritime) Award’, and critical maritime stakeholders who witnessed the ceremony acknowledged the fact that the NIMASA DG has worked hard within a short period to justify the honour.

“Due to his excellent performance in repositioning NIMASA, he was honoured with the prestigious award of ‘Public Servant of the Year’ in 2022 by Champion Newspapers.

“Also internationally, he has been applauded for his doggedness and determination to change the narrative after he hit the ground running as the DG NIMASA”, they added.

“We once again state that the allegations against a core technocrat and goal-getter as Dr Jamoh are all lies from the lips of mischief-makers,” the coalition stressed.

Customs

“You are worthy ambassador of Osun State” Oni of Ife eulogies Adeniyi’s leadership of Customs

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi II, has eulogized the sterling qualities of Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller- General of Customs, for his revolutionary leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The first class Yoruba monarch made the commendation on Thursday, 28th May 2026, during the annual Eid-el-Kabir gathering hosted by the Comptroller-General at his residence in Modakeke, Osun State.

The Oni, who cited President Bola Tinubu’s public commendation of Adeniyi as evidence of the confidence reposed in the Customs boss, described him as a good ambassador of Osun State and a source of pride to the ancient Ife Kingdom and the Modakeke community.

Oba Ogunwusi said President Tinubu’s public expression of satisfaction with Adeniyi’s performance reflected confidence in his leadership and the results being achieved by the Service.

“We are very proud of him and the work he is doing. When Mr President publicly expressed satisfaction with his performance, it was not a casual statement.

” It reflects trust in his capacity and the results he is delivering. What he is doing in the Customs Service and in the community shows that he is a unifier.”

Reaffirming the support of the Ife Kingdom for the Comptroller-General, the monarch declared:

“He brings people together, and that is what leadership is about. We will continue to stand by him and pray for him.”

Addressing guests, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the Ooni of Ife, community leaders, family members, friends, associates, and well-wishers for their continued support.

He described Eid-el-Kabir as a season that reminds humanity of the virtues of sacrifice, gratitude, obedience, and service to others.

According to him, beyond the celebration, the gathering provides an opportunity to reconnect with people, strengthen relationships, and reflect on the collective responsibility of building stronger communities and a better nation.

The CGC noted that the NCS has continued to record significant progress in revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling operations, technological innovation, and corporate social responsibility initiatives in line with the economic objectives of the Federal Government.

He said the Service remains focused on supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu through reforms aimed at facilitating legitimate trade, enhancing national security, improving compliance, and creating opportunities for economic growth.

CGC Adeniyi added that Customs has continued to invest in community-focused interventions across the country, including educational support programmes, healthcare initiatives, and other projects designed to improve the lives of Nigerians.

He pledged that the Service would continue to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening its operations and delivering greater value to the nation, while assuring stakeholders of Customs’ commitment to professionalism, transparency, and service excellence.

Adeniyi also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country and assured Nigerians of the Service’s continued support for government policies geared towards economic prosperity and national development.

Headlines

Former Super Eagles stars grace Taiwo Afolabi cup tournament

Funso OLOJO, Editor

Former Nigerian footballers, including Daniel Amokachi, Dosu Joseph, Tajudeen Disu, Fatai Amoo, and Waidi Akanni, were among the dignitaries who graced the final of this year’s Taiwo Afolabi Football Tournament held at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

The U-17 tournament, which is in its 10th edition, is one of the leading grassroots football competitions in Lagos State, sponsored by Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman of SIFAX Group, to discover, nurture, and promote young football talents at the grassroots level.

At the end of the grueling final matches, Fortune FA, Oshodi and Labro Queen, Oyingbo, emerged winners of the boys and girls competitions respectively.

Fortune FA defeated Dynamo FC, Iwaya 2-0 in the boys’ final, with goals from Quadri Popoola and Agbato Wasiu securing the title.

In the girls’ final, Labro Queen FC and Starlet Girls FC of Idimu played out a goalless draw in regulation time before Labro Queen triumphed in the penalty shootout, converting five of their six kicks to edge Starlet, who scored four from six attempts.

Speaking at the event, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Chairman of SIFAX Group, who was accompanied to the event by his wife, Mrs. Folashade Afolabi, reflected on the tournament’s journey over the past decade and expressed satisfaction with its contribution to youth development through sport.

He recalled his own playing days as a young man and explained that the competition began as a modest football fixture tied to his birthday before evolving into a structured platform designed to identify, nurture and support young talent.

Afolabi noted that the tournament was established to create opportunities for young people to channel their energy productively, develop discipline and gain exposure that could shape their future careers.

“We need to encourage the youth, because without encouraging them, they cannot be successful.

“Young, talented football players like the one featured in this tournament require consistent guidance, mentorship and platforms that help them build their skills and confidence, as well as assist them to remain focused so as to fulfil their potential, both on and off the pitch,” he said.

Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Association also commended Afolabi and SIFAX Group for sustaining the competition over the last ten years and highlighted the positive impact the tournament has had on youth football development across Lagos State.

The association’s Secretary, Mr Aliyu Ganiyu, said the tournament has provided numerous players with opportunities to showcase their abilities, with several participants from previous editions progressing to play professionally in Nigeria and abroad.

Customs

World Bank strengthens Customs capacity in post clearance Audit in two- week capacity building exercise

Gloria Odion, maritime reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) in collaboration with the World Bank Group under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, aimed at strengthening compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.

The workshop, which runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026, is taking place at the Service’s Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General , Babatunde Olomu, described the mission as a significant step in advancing the Service’s modernisation agenda and strengthening its capacity as a technology-driven, intelligence-led, and globally competitive customs administration.

He noted that modern customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence-led, risk-based, and post-clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.

According to him, the mission offers an opportunity to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices, and develop practical solutions to strengthen the Post Clearance Audit framework.

Olomu identified risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation, and integrated audit systems as key areas of focus.

He emphasised that effective Post Clearance Audit enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a strategic compliance management approach that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency, and boosts public confidence.

“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices, and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system.” he stated.

The ACG commended the Comptroller-General for his commitment to modernisation and capacity building and also appreciated the World Bank and other development partners for their sustained support for Customs reforms.

He urged participants to actively engage throughout the programme and ensure that lessons learned are translated into measurable improvements in daily operations.

Speaking at the event, World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission is designed to strengthen the capacity of Post Clearance Audit officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools, and internationally recognised methodologies.

He explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques, and compliance management strategies that can be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.

Kajubi stressed the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems, and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring, and trade facilitation outcomes.

“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations.”He stated.

He expressed confidence that the engagement would strengthen institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Customs Service’s modernisation objectives.

Lead Consultant for the ARMOR-P, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission seeks to enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue, and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post Clearance Audit.

He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms, and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to improve accountability and operational efficiency.

Dutt also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology-driven solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.

During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad Jubril, demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, explaining how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonised Commodity codes and other risk indicators.

In his closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima encouraged participants to maximise the opportunities provided by the workshop and apply the knowledge gained to achieve the strategic objectives of the NCS.