Customs: Echoes of Adeniyi’s marching boots at Onne Area 2 as fortunes soar

The Comptroller-General (C-G), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, assumed office in 2024. About two years in the saddle, stakeholders say he is leading the service to greater heights in all fronts of the service including high revenue profile and war against recalcitrant smugglers. He recently showcased the success story of Onne Customs Area 2 Command, Rivers State. Ignatius Chukwu and Godwin Egba take a look at this development.

In 2024 president Ahmed Bola Tinubu appointed Adeniyi as the young C-G of the Nigeria customs service (NCS). Within these two years in the saddle, stakeholders say he has proved his impactful reform with innovation and team work.

The Customs commands in Lagos (Tin Can and Apapa) and Onne Area 2 Command are known for their high performance in revenue generation and anti-smuggling activities.

Penultimate week ago, the C-G led some of his officers from the Abuja headquarters and some maritime stakeholders to Onne Command. A horde of Journalists were also on ground to witness the business of the day.

C-G Adeniyi and his host the Customs Area Controller (CAC) Mohammed Babandede, made an exhibition of contraband goods worth over N20 billion intercepted by the eagle-eyes officers of the command.

The contraband goods were laden in 16 containers, 11 of which contained assorted illicit drugs concealed beneath legitimate consumer goods, including ability and ceiling fans to exploit legitimate trade channels and evade regulatory scrutiny, the C-G disclosed.

Providing details and break down of the seized items, the CG said, “The Command successfully intercepted a total of 16 containers with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of N420.5bn as calculated in accordance with Service valuation protocols.

“Analysis of these seizures reveals sophisticated concealment tactics and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. Some 11 containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products: 1.30′ bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each); 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, etc.

“The contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of Smart Tech vehicle parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream.

The C-G said that the seized pharmaceutical products, if allowed entry in the country and the public, posed severe health risks including drug addiction.

“The potential impact of these illicit pharmaceuticals on public health and national security cannot be overstated. Unregulated pharmaceutical products pose severe risks including drug addiction, compromised treatment outcomes, and the facilitation of organized criminal activities that threaten community safety and national stability,” he added.

Adeniyi said that the Customs efforts were in line with President Bola Tinubu’s comprehensive approach to combating transnational organized crime and ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remain impenetrable to criminal enterprises seeking to compromise the country’s sovereignty.

The C-G disclosed that the Nigeria Customs had since intensified intelligence-led enforcement across all commands, particularly focusing on high-risk corridors and ports of entry, to ensure that importation and exportation of contraband goods become a thing of the past.

“The Nigeria Customs Service maintains steadfast commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s policy objectives of securing our borders, protecting public health, and safeguarding national Security”, he added.

The CG commended officers and men of the Area Il Command for their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty which he said has led to the successful interceptions. He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to supporting President Tinubu’s security and economic transformation agenda through enhanced border management, strengthened inter agency collaboration, and sustained anti-smuggling operations.

“We shall deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure against those who are bent on criminal activities. We hereby serve notice to all criminal networks attempting to use our borders for illicit activities: the Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with sister agencies, maintains zero tolerance for smuggling operations and will pursue the fun weight of the law against all perpetrators,” he added.

Earlier, the CAC of the Area Il Command, Mohammed Babandede, said the latest feat by the Command was achieved in collaboration with sister agencies especially, NDLEA, NAFDAC and DSS, saying, “We have today, 11 x40 foot containers of illicit drugs, and 4 x 20 containers of prohibited tomatoes pastes, and 1 x40 container of assorted goods

“We were able to achieve this because of the excellent relationship and collaboration which has been part of the CGC’s policy trust on collaboration consolidation and innovation. So, we are not doing it alone, we are doing it in synergy with other sister agencies,” he said.

Babandede had disclosed at a press conference and gave a break-down of the seized items as 1, 721,100 bottles of 100m Cough Syrup Codeine, 510,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,100,000 tablets of 225mg Royal apple Tramadol and Tramaking, 3,461 pieces of Sanitary ware Fittings used for concealment, 840 pieces of Chilly cutter used for concealment and 153 cartons of TVS rubber

The CAC said the command generated a total of N634bn from January to December, 2024, adding that the feat surpassed the annual target of N618bn set for the Command, adding that the figure represented an increase of N321bn, which was about 98% increase from the 2023 revenue generation.

In the area of anti-smuggling, the CAC also said a total of 76 containers bearing arms, ammunition, illicit medicine, vegetable oil, footwears, donkey skin, used cloths, among other contraband with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of NI 50,872,551 ,207 were seized in the last twelve months.

He said the major commodities exported through the port comprise of Agro and mineral resources, namely sesame seeds, aluminum ingot, granular urea in bulk, wheat bran, orange peel, among others, adding that it amounted to a total of 2,707,339.22 metric tonnes of goods, with Free On Board (FOB) value of $952,986,490.99, which is equivalent to N1,261 ,039, 168.99 that was processed through the Command this year.

The CAC appreciated other sister agencies, such as NDLEA, NAFDAC, QUARANTINE, among others which collaborated with the customs to achieve the feat.

“We appreciate the continued support and collaboration of all stakeholders, including the Media in amplifying our message and effort to combat said.

He thanked the Comptroller-General Adeniyi for instituting award of recognition of Area 2, as Best Command in anti-smuggling operations, which he said further strengthened the efforts of his officers and men.

Babandede equally told the media that his Command benefited from the recent promotion in the service where by 14’Deputy Comptrollers were elevated to the rank of Comptrollers,6 Assistant Comptrollers to the Deputy Comptrollers and 17 Chief Superintendent of Customs were promoted to Assistant Comptrollers, among several others.

Anxiety heightened in Rivers State capital as Customs intercepted container bearing 844 rifles, 112,500 live ammunition.

C-G Adeniyi who addressed journalists at the Onne Customs command said that the container, with number MAEU165396 bearing the weapons originated from Turkey and was intercepted on Friday, 21 June, 2024, pointing out that the container was subjected to thorough physical examination, 840 units of assorted rifles and 112,500 live ammunitions were found hidden inside other contents of the container.

He gave breakdown of the arms and ammunition hidden in the container as, 746 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles, 10 units of Verney Caroh Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles, 50 units of Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles, 20 units of Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles and Exclusive Series, Sterling High Quality Live Ammunition 34g-25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM).

The CG said, “The rifles and ammunitions were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags. The duty-paid value of the container is Four billion, one hundred and seventy-one million, seven hundred and ten thousand naira (N4,171 , 710,000.00).

“In connection with this, we have three suspects in our custody after securing a detention warrant from a competent court of justice. Furthermore, a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure ail those involved face the full wrath of the law”

The Comptroller General further disclosed that another 8×40 foot container on transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne port was intercepted on 29 June, 2024. He gave the container numbers as, TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024 and MRSU3068928.

He said that six out of the eight containers were laden with 1 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml), 3,500,000 tablets of Trodoi Benzhexol Tablets (5m g) with duty paid value of adding that the remaining two containers were laden with 720 bales of used clothes with duty —paid value of N 144,000,000.00.

On the whole, the CG said the total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers.

He added, “In line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following decisions had been taken with respect to these containers: the 40-footer container of ‘evil’ bearing 844 units of assorted rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition is hereby seized, alongside the her contents previously highlighted

“The items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser for diligent investigation and ultimately rigorous prosecution

“The suspects arrested would be handed over to the Center for further processing. We will work diligently with other agencies of government to apprehend all other cohorts and Death Merchants involved in this Monkey business.”

He continued. “The eight containers whose contents were wrongly declared to evade duty payment and Prohibition Order are hereby declared seized; the licenses and permits issued for the operation of all the warehouses also affected.