By Innocent Orok
Unknown to many that the three Customs Area Controllers making waves at Nigeria’s two largest ports of Apapa and Tin Can Island and that of the country’s frontier border, Seme border had long have a strong bond that bind them together both in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS ) and their personal lives.
The trio have also had a close working relationship with the Comptroller General of the NCS, Adewale Adeniyi MFR.
Today, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, the Oyo State born Customs Comptroller is in charge of Nigeria’s premier port of Apapa. Comptroller Dera Nnadi, the Imo State born Customs Comptroller hold sway at the Tin Can Island Port. While Comptroller Timi Bomodi, the Bayelsa State born Customs Comptroller is administering the besiest border in the West and Central African region, the Nigeria Seme/ Krake border.
A perusal into their career path in the Service reveals that three of them were trained as Public Relation Officers by Professor Ike Nwosu , a Public Relations guru at a training programme organised by the present CGC, Adewale Adeniyi at Jos in 2004/2005 and were all awarded , Associate Members of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) at the same time.
In the Service call to duty, Dera Nnadi handed over to Timi Bomodi as Customs Public Relations Officer (PRO) at Apapa Command in 2010 before proceeding to NCS, HQ as Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC).
In 2018, Babatunde Olomu and Dera Nnadi met again as Assistant Comptrollers of Customs at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru near Jos where they attended the Strategic Command Responsibility Course (SCRCC).
Dera Nnadi later proceeded to NIPSS again in 2021, where he graduated and was awarded Member National Institute- mni. While Babatunde Olomu proceeded to the National Security Institute run by the Directorate of State Service (DSS), where he graduated and was awarded Fellow of Security Institute – fsi.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi’s path crossed again with that of Comptroller Timi Bomodi, when he handed over the administration of Seme border as Area Controller to Timi Bomodi in 2023.
Surely, these three Musketeers if you may called them , sure hold their own as professionals who are well groomed and trained both in Public Relations, Strategic management, National Security and core Customs procedures. Stakeholders and port users , especially in the import and export chain, as well as implementation of government fiscal policies should expect the best of service delivery from them.
Kudos should be given to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR for grooming these men and many more who are devout and dedicated professional officers, playing their roles to make Nigeria great.
