Custom CG knows about the smuggling- Fisayo Soyombo

Oluwasegun SanusiMarch 2, 20241 Mins read1.2k

Fisayo Soyombo, an investigative journalist, speaking on Channels TV program “Hard Copy,” unveiled the deep-seated corruption within Nigeria’s Customs Agency, shedding light on systemic issues that have allowed smuggling to flourish unchecked.

Fisayo’s investigation had delved into the heart of smuggling, revealing a network of corruption so entrenched that it extends to the highest echelons of power in the country.

He affirmed, “Nothing has changed. The Controller General of Customs knows everything happening.”

The journalist’s firsthand experience provided him with a harrowing glimpse into the inner workings of the system. He asserted, “It is impossible for that scale of movement of goods, of items… Trailers move stuff unchecked, labelled as ‘headquarters movements.’ Nobody could stop them.”

Fisayo’s account highlighted the impunity with which smuggling operations are conducted, with bribes being the norm rather than the exception.

He stated, “The only guys who get caught are the ones that have not bribed anyone. A patrol team can be sabotaged.”

According to Fisayo’s findings, IBD Dende is known for his involvement in smuggling arms and ammunition into Nigeria and has cultivated close relationships with key figures in Nigeria’s security apparatus.

Dende is reported to be friends with Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, and Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (CGC). Additionally, Dende’s association with Bola Tinubu has raised further concerns about the depth of his influence.

“The biggest smuggler in the southwest is friends with the new Controller General… He’s politically connected,” he noted.

He emphasized the futility of attempting to combat smuggling under such circumstances. “You can’t put a customs officer on the road, and then the customs officer is not free to stop the movement of trailers coming inside the country,” Fisayo noted.

Fisayo’s investigation serves as a damning indictment of the state of affairs within Nigeria’s Customs Agency, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reform to root out corruption and restore integrity to the nation’s border control efforts.