Customs Boss Pledges Tougher Anti-Smuggling Operations In South-West
The newly appointed acting comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja-Lagos, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni, has pledged tougher anti-smuggling operations across the South-West, promising intelligence-led enforcement, tighter revenue protection and stronger collaboration with security agencies.
Afeni, who assumed office as the 30th Acting Comptroller of the strategic enforcement unit, said his administration would pursue “purposeful, professional and accountable leadership” while protecting Nigeria’s economic and security interests.
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He spoke on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during the formal handing-over ceremony at the FOU Zone ‘A’ conference hall in Ikeja, where retired Comptroller Gambo Aliyu transferred leadership of the unit to him.
The new Acting Comptroller said enforcement under his watch 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 closer collaboration with sister security and law-enforcement agencies to tackle trans-border crimes, particularly the illicit movement of drugs, arms, currencies, counterfeit goods and other prohibited items.
Afeni said his administration would also focus on blocking revenue leakages, strengthening professional standards and improving officers’ welfare and development.
His assumption of office comes against the backdrop of significant enforcement and revenue recovery recorded by the unit under his predecessor.
Aliyu disclosed that FOU Zone ‘A’ recovered N3.19 billion in revenue between December 10, 2025 and September 24, 2026, representing 798 per cent of its N400 million annual target for 2026.
The N3,192,511,547.52 recovered also represented a 776 per cent increase over the N411,451,901.18 recovered during the corresponding period in 2025.
The outgoing comptroller further disclosed that the unit intercepted 779 smuggling attempts involving goods with a total duty-paid value of N13.075 billion.
Among the seizures were 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 intercepted 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.
Aliyu attributed the revenue and enforcement performance to “enhanced risk profiling, stricter compliance checks, targeted introspection into suspicious declarations, teamwork, professionalism and collaboration with sister agencies and stakeholders”.
He stressed that “no enforcement agency can succeed in isolation”.
While formally handing over to Afeni, Aliyu urged his successor to consolidate the gains recorded by the unit and charged him to “lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment”.
The ceremony was attended by senior Customs officers, stakeholders, colleagues, friends and well-wishers of the outgoing and incoming comptrollers.
Among those present were Acting Customs Area Controllers of the Port and Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML), Ogun 1 Area Command and the Enugu/Ebonyi/Anambra Command, alongside other senior officers and stakeholders.
Afeni, in addition to his enforcement agenda, pledged to promote regular sporting activities among officers to encourage fitness, teamwork and work-life balance.
He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management of the Service for the confidence reposed in him, promising to deploy the unit’s resources towards advancing the NCS mandate and protecting the national economy.
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