The Publisher of Maritime Magazine, Okey Ibeke, has urged the Federal Government to give the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) zero political interference in the implementation of its core mandate.

Ibeke made the call during an “Iconic Maritime Personality Award” presented to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, by the maritime media in Lagos on Thursday night.

Ibeke said that customs operations needed political backing to ensure that fiscal policies were adhered to by both ordinary and influential people in the country.

“Nigeria is a peculiar nation where the people in the authority will import goods and undervalue them to pay less duty.

“If customs query such transactions, they will go get their connection to intimidate officers.

“The government should also upscale the customs intervention funds to enable them to get enough equipment to combat snuggling and encourage honest traders.

“The seven percent intervention funds is not enough for customs to pay staff salaries and carry out capital projects,” he said.

Ibeke pleaded with the government to consider giving the money paid for the import supervision scheme, which is one percent of FOB, to the NCS to execute projects.

He also urged the federal government to empower residents along border areas to discourage them from engaging in smuggling activities.

In his acceptance message, Adeniyi appreciated maritime media and stakeholders for finding him worthy of the personality award.

He described the award as symbolic as it was happening for the first time in the history of the maritime industry.

Adeniyi urged the media to abolish the proliferation of beat associations to enable them to speak with one voice and approach issues collectively.

“I urge all the maritime beat associations to collaborate to have a rallying point.

“If the creation of the association is because of the interest of the industry then it is not too late to work together as a strong unit and collapse the associations into one.

“No beat association under Nigeria Union of Journalists will be more impactful than maritime journalists that we have,” Adeniyi said.

He called on stakeholders to prioritise the welfare of maritime journalists, pledging welfare support such as insurance cover for media houses.

The former President of, the Association of Nigeria License Customs Agents (ANLCA), Alhaji Olaiwola Shittu, described Adeniyi as a pillar behind his success as president of ANLCA.

The Chairperson of, the Customs Consultative Council (CCC), Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju, congratulated the maritime industry for appreciating an icon.

He urged stakeholders to have an attitudinal change to support customs operations to enable the service to achieve its core mandate.

The Vice President of ANLCA, Prince Olusegun Oduntan, described Adeniyi as a leader with a listening ear, who had assisted the service to surpass its target for 2024.

Also, the president, of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Frank Ogunojemite, described the customs C-G as a passionate mentor, friend and humble person.

Retired Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Charles Edike, said that he was proud to see Adeniyi, the most dedicated and respectful officer as the leader of the customs service.