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MACI calls on IGP Egbetokun to rein in maritime police over indiscriminate interception of exited cargo from ports 

AIG Susan Akem-Horsfall, Maritime Police
The Eyewitness Reporter
The Media Anti-Corruption Initiative (MACI) has expressed worry over the overbearing attitude of maritime police in cargo clearing procedures at the ports.
The group noted with concern that this attitude of the police in indiscriminately intercepting cargo exited by the Customs at the ports has caused unnecessary bad blood between the Maritime Police and other government agencies whom the police have accused of compromising the cargo clearing process at the ports.
In a statement issued and signed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees( BOT) of the group, Captain Adamu Mshelia and the Secretary, Mr. Funso Olojo, MACI believes that the attitude of the police was predicated on misunderstanding of the role of the maritime police by its top officials.
“All the agencies operating in the ports, including the police,  are backed by law with specific functions, though there are some cases of overlapping functions.
“The police is to maintain law and order, make arrests where necessary and prosecute offenders.
“It’s the statutory duty of Customs to release cargo after satisfactory inspection of documents by its officers and where necessary, physical examination with other agencies.
“We know that four units of police namely K9, Bomb Squad, Intelligence Unit and normal police do participate in cargo examination.
“We then wonder what Maritime police will be looking for after four of its units have participated in the examination of cargo.
“For checks and balances, Customs management created other units like enforcement, CIU, Taskforce, Strike Force, etc.
“These are units trained and well versed in the interpretation of codes, value determination, classification, concealment, wrong declaration and what have you.
“Even the Customs management has come to the realization that some of these units are only mere duplication of duties, hindering trade facilitation, hence the recent scrapping of Strike Force and reduction of checkpoints.
“The maritime police has its duty and we believe that no agency is stopping it from carrying it out. The only argument is the modality for doing their job.
“We know that police have the right to enter anywhere and if it has information about a container, it can trace it to the owner’s warehouse.
“This is the acceptable way of working in saner climes and this is what other agencies are telling maritime police to do.
“MACI feels embarrassed by the jejune and puerile allegations from the AIG Maritime Police, Susan Akem-Horsfall that the agencies are conniving with shippers and their clearing agents to shortchange government.
“This is clearly an allegation meant to justify the unjustifiable.
“We are miffed by AIG’s defence of the indefensible that nobody can stop police from stopping containers on the road.
“Maritime police is not being stopped from doing its legitimate work but what everyone is saying is that police should not cause another congestion and interfere unnecessarily with international trade with the indiscriminate and unwarranted interception of exited cargo on the road when the police can trail such suspected consignment to the warehouse of its owners” the group which is the media coalition against corruption, declared.
The group therefore  called on the Inspector general of police,  Kayode Egbetokun,  to call the AIG, Maritime Police, Susan Akem-Horsfall, to order and ask her  to tell her officers to  strictly face police duty as only Customs officers are trained on classification, interpretation of codes, value determination, concealment, etc
MACI also believes that the timely intervention of the IGP will stave off the brewing crisis and allow the contending issue be resolved amicably in order to have concerted efforts towards proper management of the emerging blue economy.
“We believe that government has committed so much resources to decongesting the ports and facilitating trade and therefore unnecessary man-made encumbrances should not be encouraged.” the group concluded.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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