The story of Nigeria Customs Service anti-smuggling operations cannot be conclusively told without the mention of Comptroller Kayode Olusemire.
Those whose business it is to know believe that Olusemire is one the dreaded anti-smuggling elements, who takes on smugglers in hurricane like approach, often with a blind fury. Regarded as an old horse, Olusemire has served in the service nationwide and in various departments and capacities.
Even though it would appear that he has cut his teeth more enforcement, Olusemire is an oracle in revenue and tariff reading, a strategist and uncommon administrator, who has a record of uncanny excellence in utilizing scarce human and material resources to achieving significant results.
He is the incumbent Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ Owerri; the man who has recorded successive offensives against economic saboteurs in the South-South, South East region, drilling consist holes in the wall chest of funds of non compliant importers and smugglers.
Olusemire was until his recent deployment to Owerri, the Customs Area Controllr of the Kaduna/Katsina Command; where he left an indelible footprint in the matters of revenue generation and strategies, anti-smuggling and compliance.
Prior the 2019 general elections, Olusemire busted almost every strategy to smuggle in offensive security items suspected to have been imported to compromise the effectiveness of the elections. Under his watch FOU Zone ‘C’ intercepted two trucks of military hard wares, on different occasion which includes camouflage uniforms, vests, shoes, berets etc.
Since assuming control at Owerri August last year, Olusemire has presided over the seizures of posh autos that have violated the customs procedure. Unapologetic, he says as long as importers and their agents elect to bring in expensive vehicles through cutting corners, so would his men continue to pick up the vehicles.
Olusemire’s voice has been heard crying repeatedly for importers to get necessary information on cars they wish to buy from the Customs website or visit any customs formation nationwide; with a further message that “You can get any information on import from Customs Help Desks.”
For his dedication to duty, Comptroller Kayode Olusemire is been decorated with the Nigerian Maritime Industry Living Legends Award.