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The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ikeja-Lagos, says it has recovered N3.19 billion in revenue and intercepted smuggled goods with a total duty-paid value of N13.07 billion during the tenure of retired Comptroller Gambo Aliyu.
This comes as Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni assumed leadership of the strategic enforcement unit.
Aliyu, who handed over to Afeni yesterday, disclosed that the unit recovered N3,192,511,547.52 between December 10, 2025 and September 24, 2026, representing 798 per cent of its N400 million annual revenue recovery target for 2026.
The unit also recorded 779 smuggling interceptions involving prohibited and restricted goods valued at N13,075,056,616 in duty-paid terms.
The revenue recovery represented a 776 per cent increase over the N411,451,901.18 recovered during the corresponding period in 2025.
Aliyu, who retired from the Service after his tenure, attributed the revenue performance to enhanced risk profiling, stricter compliance checks, targeted scrutiny of suspicious declarations, teamwork, professionalism, and collaboration with sister agencies and stakeholders.
He stressed that “no enforcement agency can succeed in isolation”, while commending officers and sister agencies for their contributions to the unit’s operational achievements.
On anti-smuggling operations, Aliyu said the unit’s 779 interceptions included more than 20,900 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 61 used vehicles, thousands of used compressors and clothing items, foreign poultry products and 4,418 jerrycans of vegetable oil.
The unit also seized 12,606 parcels of cannabis weighing 6,194.3 kilogrammes, 2.30 kilogrammes of cocaine, more than 3,000 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), equivalent to 76,505 litres, and 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84 kilogrammes.
Other seizures included various prohibited and restricted goods intercepted in operations targeting smuggling, revenue fraud, concealment, under-declaration and false declaration.
Taking over as the 30th Acting Comptroller of FOU Zone ‘A’, Afeni pledged “purposeful, professional and accountable leadership” in advancing the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management of the Service for the confidence reposed in him.
Afeni said his administration would prioritise intelligence-led enforcement, block revenue leakages and protect Nigeria’s economic and security interests.
The new Acting Comptroller stressed that enforcement activities under his leadership would be “firm, lawful and respectful of human dignity”, while legitimate trade would be facilitated through constructive engagement with traders, manufacturers, importers, exporters, customs brokers and other stakeholders.
He also pledged stronger collaboration with sister security and law-enforcement agencies to combat trans-border crimes, including the illicit movement of drugs, arms, currencies, counterfeit goods and other prohibited items.
Beyond enforcement, Afeni promised to pay attention to officers’ welfare, professional development, and institutional discipline, while promoting regular sporting activities to strengthen fitness, teamwork, and work-life balance.
The handover ceremony, held at the unit’s conference hall in Ikeja, was attended by senior Customs officers, stakeholders, colleagues, friends and well-wishers of the outgoing and incoming comptrollers.
Also present were Acting Customs Area Controllers of the Port and Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML), Ogun 1 Area Command and the Enugu/Ebonyi/Anambra Command, among other senior officers and stakeholders.
In his valedictory remarks, Aliyu congratulated Afeni on his appointment and charged him to “lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment”.
He expressed confidence in the operational foundation inherited by his successor and thanked officers under his command for their loyalty, discipline and resilience.
Aliyu also prayed for the success of the new leadership, the continued growth of the Nigeria Customs Service and the security of Nigeria.
