By Innocent Orok
Comptroller Mohammed Shauibu of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’
on Friday showcases the anti- smuggling feats of the Unit to Journalists. The seizures which comprises of exotic vehicles, rice, drugs and other items has a total Duty Paid Value of N1,501,312,425. The Unit also recovered a total of N20,792, 372.99 through Demand Notices to the government coffers.
Briefing journalists, Comptroller Shauibu during his inaugural press briefing said “in alignment with the principles of open governance advocated by the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and the management team, I am excited to share the achievements we have made since I took over the leadership of this unit on April 23, 2025.
“Upon my arrival, I committed to leveraging my extensive experience to effectively navigate the complexities of this unit, and I am proud to report that we have remained true to that commitment.
On revenue generation, he said the Unit through interventions by issuing Demand Notices (DN) and conducting auction sales of seized perishable goods ” have diligently optimized these revenue streams to ensure accurate recovery of funds.
“As of today, we have successfully recovered a total of N20, 792, 372.99 only, through the issuance of Demand Notices from irregular importation and auction sales of seized petroleum products.”
Speaking on the anti- smuggling activities of the Unit Shauibu said “since undertaking the role, I have initiated a transformation of our operational strategies, moving away from traditional stop-and-search methods to more intelligence-driven operations that reduce unnecessary delays.
” In a significant achievement in our ongoing battle against illicit trade, our team acted on credible intelligence and successfully intercepted and seized 7X20ft containers filled with various illicit items within the Lagos metropolis preliminary investigations revealed the following contents: MSKU 8551954 – Used tyres and Vehicle, SYDU 1479614 = foreign parboiled rice, MSKU 7751689 = foreign parboiled rice, MSKU 798700 foreign parboiled rice,
ZCSU 8845072 new shoes
vi. ZCSU 7055181 new Clothes, PIDU 4258491 new bags.
Others are 4,085 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg equivalent to seven trailer loads, 15 illegally imported foreign-used vehicles, 82 packs of tramadol, with 10 sachets per pack, 246 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, 290 jerry cans of premium motor spirit (PMS) and 12 bales and four sacks of used clothing.
According to Shauibu, four suspects were arrested in connection with the various seizures, which have a duty paid value (DPV) N1, 501,312,425.00 only.
He said “the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its efforts to combat smuggling, counterfeit products, and other forms of illicit trade. These achievements testify to our unwavering dedication to protecting our economy and citizens. We will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and border communities to dismantle the networks engaged in illicit activities.
In line with the dictate of the NCS to foster inter-agency collaboration, the seized 246kg of cannabis sativa was handed over to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ), while the tramadol capsules was handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) for further investigation and prosecution.
” We encourage the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to smuggling or illicit trade. I also urged our declarants to remain honest in their declarations to avoid unnecessary bottleneck”, Comptroller Shauibu said.
In the area of trade facilitation, the Unit said in an era characterized by increasing global integration, efficient trade facilitation is vital for unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and fostering regional integration.
” I take this responsibility seriously. Our intelligence driven operations are designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive trading environment that will benefit our stakeholders and the public through barrier-free operations, as we intend to collapse all patrol points within Lagos metropolis.
” In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to the CGC and the management team for this opportunity once again to serve as comptroller FOU A. we remain committed to fulfilling our responsibilities to the best of our ability. To our dedicated officers, I commend you and urged you to maintain this momentum.I also extend my appreciation to the media for their continued support of our efforts,”Comptroller Shauibu assured.
