By Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Customs Service has sealed three bonded terminals and seized 27 containers laden with contraband goods, in what many tagged a renewed crackdown on smuggling and regulatory breaches within the nation’s ports.
The feat, recorded by Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), was disclosed on Thursday.
Goods in the intercepted 27 containers are valued at N9.26 billion and were seized between January and June 2025. The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Babatunde Olomu said one of the sealed terminals has already been charged to court, while investigations are ongoing into the activities of the remaining two.
According to him, the Command remains firm in its commitment to sanitise the port environment and ensure strict adherence to Customs regulations by terminal operators.
“As a fallout from our rigorous anti-smuggling operations, we have sealed three bonded terminals under the Command. One has been charged to court for prosecution, and investigations continue on the others.
“Let me use this opportunity to warn perpetrators of illegal acts that the Apapa Port Command is manned by eagle-eyed officers, fully activated to detect and seize uncustomed goods and arrest violators,” he frowned.
He revealed that the 27 containers seized included unregistered pharmaceuticals, codeine syrup, expired margarine, used clothing, stolen vehicles, and wild animal skins, among others.
He added that the Command will remain vigilant in its mandate to protect the Nigerian public from the dangers of illicit imports, particularly unregistered pharmaceuticals which pose a serious threat to public health.
He pointed out that the Command will not allow the safety and well-being of Nigerians to be compromised in the name of trade facilitation.
He noted that the interception of wild animal skins also points to the Command’s commitment to international protocols, as such items violate the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
Meanwhile, he said the Command recorded a total revenue collection of N1.3 trillion between January and June 2025.
The Comptroller stated that this represents a substantial contribution to the Federation Account and demonstrates the Command’s efficiency in revenue generation despite the rigorous enforcement operations.
The Comptroller further acknowledged the critical role played by sister government agencies operating within the port.
He said the robust intelligence sharing and joint consultations between the Customs Service and other security agencies have significantly frustrated criminal networks and enhanced national security.
He stressed that the synergy will be further strengthened in the collective interest of the nation.
He assured stakeholders that the Command will continue to facilitate legitimate trade while maintaining a zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and non-compliance.
Speaking at the event, Babatunde Mukaila, a licensed clearing agent and former Secretary of ANLCA, commended the Controller for the unprecedented improvement in customs-stakeholder relations under his leadership.
He described the current level of engagement as unprecedented and praised the Controller for the transparent and accessible leadership style, noting that the Apapa Command has now become a trusted partner for honest freight forwarders.
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