The Federal Operations Unit Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service has made seizures of assorted contraband goods worth more than N1.5 billion within 3weeks
This was revealed by the Controller of the Unit, Compt MS Shuaibu while addressing a press briefing yesterday, he also informed that four suspects were arrested in connection with the various seizures.
He gave the breakdown of the seizures to include assorted dainty cars, thousands of foreign parboiled rice, cannabis sativa, tramadol, premium motor spirit (PMS) as well as bales of used clothing.
The Controller noted that with a renewed efforts which have significantly improved strategies to secure Nigeria’s south western states borders against economic saboteurs said, He said within this short period of three weeks, his unit has inflicted substantial losses on these non-state actors through the interception of numerous illegal goods.
While leavraging on the principles of open governance advocated by the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team, Compt. Shuaibu said he is excited to share the achievements his unit have made since he took over the leadership of this unit on April 23, 2025.
A breakdown of Comptroller Shuaibu since assuming duty 3 weeks ago includes:
REVENUE GENERATION
The unit, which generates revenue primarily through the interventions executed by their personnel, issuing demand notices (DN) where shortfalls are identified, and conducting auction sales of seized perishable goods. They have diligently optimized these revenue streams to ensure accurate recovery of funds. As of today, they have successfully recovered a total of twenty million, seven hundred and nine-two thousand, three hundred and seventy- two naira, ninety-nine kobo (N20, 792, 372.99) only, through the issuance of demand notices from irregular importation and auction sales of seized petroleum products.
In the area of anti smuggling, Compt. Shuaibu said, "Since undertaking my role, he has initiated a transformation of their operational strategies, moving away from traditional stop-and-search methods to more intelligence-driven operations that reduce unnecessary delays".
Continuing, the anti smuggling czar said, "My team acted on credible intelligence and successfully intercepted and seized 7X20ft containers filled with various illicit items within the Lagos metropolis preliminary investigations revealed the following contents:
i. MSKU 8551954 – Used tyres and vehicle
ii. SYDU 1479614 = foreign parboiled rice
iii. MSKU 7751689 = foreign parboiled rice
iv. MSKU 798700 = foreign parboiled rice
V. ZCSU 8845072 = New shoes
vi. ZCSU 7055181= New Clothes
vii. PIDU 4258491= New bags
The Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its efforts to combat smuggling, counterfeit products, and other forms of illicit trade. These achievements testify to our unwavering dedication to protecting our economy and citizens. They will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and border communities to dismantle the networks engaged in illicit activities.
In line with the dictate of the NCS to foster inter-agency collaboration, he said they will be handing over the seized 246kg of cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency ( *NDLEA* ) and the tramadol capsules will be handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( *NAFDAC* ) for further investigation and prosecution. They encourage the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to smuggling or illicit trade. He also urged our declarants to remain honest in their declarations to avoid unnecessary bottleneck.
In the area of trade facilitation, the Compt. Said, In an era characterized by increasing global integration, efficient trade facilitation is vital for unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and fostering regional integration. We takes this responsibility seriously. Their intelligence driven operations are designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive trading environment that will benefit their stakeholders and the public through barrier-free operations, as they intend to collapse all patrol points within Lagos metropolis.
Concluding, he express his gratitude to the CGC and the management team for this opportunity once again to serve as comptroller FOU A. He said his unit will remain committed to fulfilling their responsibilities to the best of their ability. He commended the officers and men of the unit and urged them to maintain the current momentum.
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