New Customs Controller Plans To Combat Illicit Drugs, Counterfeit Goods

The new acting Controller of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni called for 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.

He made the call immediately he resumed as the as unit’s 30th acting controller, following the retirement of Comptroller Gambo Aliyu.
The handing-over ceremony, held at the unit’s conference hall, was attended by friends, colleagues and well-wishers of the incoming and outgoing comptrollers.

In his inaugural address, Afeni pledged to provide purposeful, professional and accountable leadership in furtherance of the mandate of the NCS.

He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the service’s management team for the confidence reposed in him.

The new acting comptroller said that his administration would prioritise intelligence-led enforcement, revenue protection and the safeguarding of Nigeria’s economic and security interests.

According to him, enforcement operations 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.

Afeni pledged to prioritise officers’ welfare, professional development and institutional discipline, while promoting regular sporting activities to enhance fitness, teamwork and work-life balance.

In his handing-over address, the immediate past Comptroller, Gambo Aliyu, described the ceremony as a formal transfer of leadership while reflecting on the responsibilities and challenges associated with commanding the unit.

Aliyu noted that his administration focused on combating smuggling, revenue fraud, concealment, under-declaration, false declaration and the movement of prohibited goods.

He explained: “The unit intercepted 779 smuggling attempts involving various prohibited and restricted items, including 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.

“Other seizures included 12,606 parcels of cannabis weighing 6,194.3kg, 2.30kg of cocaine, more than 3,000 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) equivalent to 76,505 litres, and 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg. The total duty-paid value of the seizures was put at ₦13,08 billion.

“The unit recovered ₦3,192,511,547.52 between December 10, 2025 and September 24, 2026.
He said the figure represented 798 per cent of the unit’s ₦400 million annual target for 2026 and a 776 per cent increase over the ₦411,451,901.18 recovered during the corresponding period in 2025.”

Aliyu attributed the performance to enhanced risk profiling, stricter compliance checks, targeted scrutiny of suspicious declarations, teamwork, professionalism and collaboration with sister agencies and stakeholders.