The Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Onne Seaport chapter, has honoured the out gone Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) of Onne Area II Command, Mr. Mohammed Babandede, who has been decorated as an Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) of Customs.
ACG M. Babandede
ACG Babandede, whose appointment by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR paved way for the redeployment of Comptroller Aliyu M. Alkali, has assumed duty as the Customs Zonal Coordinator, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “A” Lagos State.
Requesting for the presence of ACG Mohammed Babandede for an Award of Excellence, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku (Onwa), the Chapter Chairman of ANLCA, Onne Seaport chapter, who spoke on behalf of other associations of Customs
licensed agents and terminal operators at Onne Seaport Command said: “On behalf of all the associations in Onne, all the agents and bonded terminal operators. We want to say a big congratulations to you, Sir, for your achievements in Onne as a Comptroller, and your promotions that are duly deserved to you.
CAC Aliyu M. Alkali
“We want to say that you are a proper officer: in the area of revenue generation, you scored 100%, in the area of Anti-smuggling, you scored 100%, and in collaboration with other sister agencies, you scored another 100%.
“Sir, your open door policy is second to none. May God be with you, in your new office, may God nourish it for your good and the good of all Customs officers and the agents.
“May Allah bless you and your good wife. We have an award, this is unprecedented, for agents to give an award to a Comptroller, tells you the much he has achieved for us, here.
“May I call on the immediate past Chairman of ANLCA,
Mr. Mike Ebeatu to come and present this award to you, Sir,” Chief Isikaku stated.
He in the meantime, appreciated the amiable wife of ACG Babandede, for being supportive to her husband, and finally honoured ACG Babandede with an Award of Excellence, which was presented by the immediate past Chairman of ANLCA, Onne Seaport chapter, Mr. Mike Ebeatu, based on the relationship that existed between ANLCA and ACG Babandede, while at the Command as CAC.
Chief Isikaku equally welcomed the new CAC, Comptroller Aliyu M. Alkali to Onne Area II Customs Command and assured him of their unalloyed supports to his leadership.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) under the watch of the out gone Area Comptroller and now Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) of Customs, Mohammed Babandede, has said that the Command made a seizure of 20 containers of illicit pharmaceutical products and other items worth over N13,573,430,630.00 (Thirteen Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy-three Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirty Naira).
ACG Babandede, who described the seized containers as his parting gift to the Command, further enumerated on the 7 seized containers of illicit pharmaceutical products and the 13 containers of different items seized by the Command under his watch.
ACG Babandede, who recalled the visit of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mrs. Mojisola Adeyeye in the last 6 weeks, where some containers of illicit pharmaceutical products were intercepted and handed over to NAFDAC, added that their visit to the Command marked a significant step in their collaborative efforts to combat fake and substandard drugs.
He equally used the medium to appeal to those, whom he may have offended in the course of discharging his duty as the then Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) of the Command, to forgive him; adding that his door is always open to accommodate everyone.
While receiving the new Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Aliyu M. Alkali; ACG Babandede used the medium to call on officers and stakeholders to extend their unflinching supports to him, while at the Command to Comptroller Aliyu M. Alkali, as its 26th CAC.
The handover ceremony, which was heldon Wednesday, September 10, 2025, was witnessed by the new Zonal Coordinator of Zone “C” Headquarters, PortHarcourt, ACG Kamal Mohammed; the Customs Area Controller of Port Harcourt Area I Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku; heads of security and relevant government agencies; terminal operators; freight forwarders; and other critical stakeholders.
In his farewell speech, ACG Kamal Mohammed praised Babandede as a “Distinguished Leader,” who served with vision, dedication, and resilience, leaving behind a solid legacy.
The Zonal Coordinator welcomed Comptroller Alkali and charged him to consolidate on the existing gains, while introducing his innovations to further the Service’s expectations.
Other goodwill messages came from the Commander of the Nigerian Naval College, Onne; Mr. Charles Okogbue, Commercial/Customer Care Manager, ICTSI-Onne Multi-purpose Terminal (OMT); Mr. Innocent Ogbuji, General Manager, Government Relations, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), and representative of the Director General of NAFDAC, among others, who extolled the virtues of ACG Babandede, while at Onne Area II Customs Command as CAC.
In his short, but concise maiden address, Comptroller Aliyu M. Alkali pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and assured stakeholders that his administration would focus on trade facilitation, revenue generation, compliance with regulations, and public safety.
The CAC further called for sustained collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the course of his tenure, to advance Nigeria’s safety and economic growth.
