In a sweeping enforcement operation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has sealed three bonded terminals under its jurisdiction for various infractions, intensifying its efforts to combat smuggling and non-compliance within the nation’s busiest port corridor.
Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, Customs Area Controller, disclosed this during a press briefing on Thursday in Lagos. He said one of the sealed terminals has already been charged to court, while investigations are ongoing into the activities of the remaining two. Olomu noted that the Command remains firm in its commitment to sanitize 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,” Olomu warned.
The Comptroller also revealed that the Command intercepted 27 containers of contraband goods valued at N9.26 billion between January and June 2025. The seizures included unregistered pharmaceuticals, codeine syrup, expired margarine, used clothing, stolen vehicles, and wild animal skins, among others. He stressed 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.
Olomu emphasized 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, 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.
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. Mukaila 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.
He emphasized that Apapa Port is the largest and most transparent port in the country, where clearing agents who wish to conduct clean, trouble-free business are guaranteed fair treatment. Mukaila also lauded the recent digital improvements within the Command, particularly the platform that now allows importers to receive real-time updates on their transactions.
However, he appealed for the inclusion of licensed customs agents in the feedback process, noting that while importers currently receive updates, their clearing agents are sometimes left unaware, which can create communication gaps. He urged the Customs Service to address this challenge to further strengthen the digital platform and enhance trade predictability.
Mukaila also advised the Customs Service not to shy away from addressing the initial challenges that come with new digital platforms, stressing that such teething problems are normal and should be jointly addressed with stakeholders.
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.
Olomu assured stakeholders that the Command will continue to facilitate legitimate trade while maintaining a zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and non-compliance.
