Shocker In Customs As Controller Western Marine Command Retires, Hands Over To Chief Superintendent/Personal Assistant

History has been made in the Nigeria Customs Service following the retirement of the Controller of the services’ Western Marine command; Comptroller Zakka Audu. He was directed to hand over to a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC); Mr. Johnson Gabriel who is now the acting Controller.

The former Controller resigned last week after putting in 35 years.

Shipping Position Daily however, gathered that the acting controller was the Personal Assistant (PA) to Comptroller Zakka Audu while the former was in the office as controller of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
It was also  learnt yesterday that, no substantive  replacement has yet been announced for the controller and that CSC) Johnson Gabriel is to hold forth as acting controller.

Audu was posted to the command as controller on the 3rd of September 2012 from Customs headquarters in Abuja where he had served as controller in charge of excise.

Although, officers of the command told our correspondent that the acting controller is the ‘brain behind’ the successes recorded by previous controllers’ of the command, some stakeholders have also responded to the development with shock.
Considering the sensitive nature of the development, those who spoke with our correspondents noted that, it has never happened in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“I think it’s a misnomer for a CSC to head a command, the least the CG could have done was to deploy a more senior officer to the Western Marine command instead of giving the rein of the command to a CSC”, a source told our correspondent yesterday.

Speaking with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday, Public Relations Office of the command; Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC); Ngozi Okwara confirmed that the acting controller has since assumed office.

She said that at a brief handing over ceremony in Lagos last week, the retired controller of the command; Zakka Audu expressed appreciation for the support and cooperation of officers and men of the command and also called on them to be diligent in the line of duty.

Okwara noted that the acting controller "is a man of his words, highly dedicated to duty and an officer who understands the marine environment’.
The new acting controller hails from Taraba State, North East Nigeria, he is married with children.
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