Nigeria Customs Adamawa: ₦79m Seizures of Contraband Goods

• The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa and Taraba Area Command, seized contraband worth ₦79.86 million in recent anti-smuggling operations.
• Seized items included 16,825 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 266 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 501 cartons of foreign soap, second-hand clothing, and a Mitsubishi Canter truck.
• Comptroller Mohammed Tako stated the operations were conducted under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and targeted identified smuggling hotspots.
• Several seizures were intelligence-led, with smugglers often abandoning goods and fleeing from customs officers.
• The command urged community leaders to cooperate in the fight against smuggling to support national economic development.

The consistent efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa and Taraba Area Command, to intercept contraband goods like foreign rice and PMS have significant implications for the national economy.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), specifically its Adamawa and Taraba Area Command, has successfully intercepted a significant cache of contraband goods, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and foreign parboiled rice, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦79,857,500. These substantial Nigeria Customs Adamawa ₦79m seizures were the result of intensified anti-smuggling operations conducted across various identified hotspots within Adamawa State over a two-month period.

Comptroller Mohammed Tako, the Area Comptroller, detailed these operations during a press conference in Yola. Among the notable seizures, customs officers discovered 451 cartons of foreign bar soap hidden in a bush along the River Benue, which smugglers abandoned upon the arrival of the officers. Another operation on August 20, 2026, in the early hours, led to the discovery of 374 jerrycans, each containing 25 litres of PMS, along a bush path in Sahuda, near the Nigeria-Cameroon border. These incidents highlight the persistent efforts of the Adamawa Taraba Area Command to curb illicit trade.

Further interdictions included the interception of a Mitsubishi Canter truck, registration number XB 566 GML, on September 14, 2026, at approximately 8:10 PM. This vehicle, carrying 116 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, and 50 cartons of foreign soap, was stopped along the Wuro Alhaji-Maiha axis following credible intelligence. Additionally, on September 21, 2026, at about 2:45 AM, 299 jerrycans of PMS, each holding 25 litres, were found along an unapproved route on the Belel-Goshidan axis, intended for smuggling out of the country. The comprehensive efforts culminated on October 2, 2026, when intelligence-led operations at 6:00 AM uncovered 150 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 20 bags of local maize (100kg each), and 11 bales and five jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing along a bush path on the Maiha-Mubi axis, all destined for onward smuggling. In total, the command seized 673 jerrycans of PMS (amounting to 16,825 litres), 501 cartons of foreign bar soap, 266 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 11 bales and five jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing, and one Mitsubishi Canter truck used for conveyance.

The enforcement actions undertaken by the Nigeria Customs Service are firmly rooted in the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. Comptroller Tako specifically cited Sections 150, 233, 245, 246, and 248 of the Act as the legal framework empowering these seizures. These sections provide the legal authority for customs officers to intercept and confiscate goods that violate import and export regulations, including those on the import prohibition list Nigeria.

Furthermore, the seizures align with Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff, which delineates items prohibited from importation into Nigeria. The Comptroller emphasized that these aggressive anti-smuggling campaigns are integral to the service's commitment to stimulating national economic growth and enhancing trade facilitation, in line with global best practices. The use of actionable intelligence, as demonstrated in several of the operations, underscores a strategic approach to combating illicit trade, particularly concerning PMS rice smuggling Nigeria.

The consistent efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa and Taraba Area Command, to intercept contraband goods like foreign rice and PMS have significant implications for the national economy. Smuggling activities not only deprive the government of legitimate revenue but also undermine local industries and distort market prices, particularly for essential commodities. The volume of the recent Nigeria Customs Adamawa ₦79m seizures highlights the scale of the challenge in border regions.

Comptroller Mohammed Tako reiterated the importance of community engagement in this fight, urging local leaders to collaborate with the NCS and other security agencies. This call for cooperation underscores the understanding that effective border security and anti-smuggling efforts require a multi-faceted approach involving both law enforcement and community support. The continued vigilance and enforcement under the new Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 are crucial for protecting the country's economic interests and ensuring fair trade practices.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the Nigeria Customs Service's intensified enforcement under the new 2023 Act, particularly concerning prohibited imports and smuggling in border regions like Adamawa, to advise clients on heightened compliance risks and potential penalties for illicit trade.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH newspaper