By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja-Lagos, on Wednesday witnessed a change of leadership as Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni assumed office as the unit’s 30th Acting Comptroller, taking over from Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, who retired from the Service after a distinguished tenure.
The formal handover ceremony, held at the unit’s conference hall in Ikeja, brought together senior Customs officers, stakeholders, colleagues, friends and well-wishers to mark the transition and the beginning of a new administration at one of the Nigeria Customs Service’s key enforcement formations.
Aliyu, who used the occasion to reflect on his tenure, disclosed that the unit recovered **₦3.19 billion in revenue between December 10, 2025 and September 24, 2026, representing 798 per cent of its ₦400 million annual target for 2026.
The recovery also represented a 776 per cent increase over the ₦411.45 million recovered during the corresponding period in 2025.
Beyond revenue recovery, Aliyu disclosed that the unit intercepted 779 smuggling attempts involving a wide range of prohibited and illegally imported goods with a combined duty-paid value of ₦13.075 billion.
The seizures included more than 20,900 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 61 used vehicles, thousands of used compressors and clothing items, foreign poultry products and 4,418 jerrycans of vegetable oil.
The unit also intercepted 12,606 parcels of cannabis weighing 6,194.3 kilogrammes, 2.30 kilogrammes of cocaine and more than 3,000 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), equivalent to 76,505 litres.
Other major seizures recorded during the period included 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84 kilogrammes, among other prohibited goods.
Aliyu attributed the operational performance to enhanced risk profiling, stricter compliance checks, targeted examination of suspicious declarations, teamwork, professionalism and collaboration with sister agencies and stakeholders.
He stressed that the fight against smuggling and other forms of trans-border crime required sustained cooperation among government agencies and other stakeholders.
“No enforcement agency can succeed in isolation,” he said, while highlighting the importance of inter-agency collaboration in tackling economic and security threats.
The retiring Comptroller said his administration remained focused on combating smuggling, revenue fraud, concealment, under-declaration, false declaration and the movement of prohibited goods.
While formally handing over to Afeni, Aliyu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and commended officers of the unit for their loyalty, discipline and resilience throughout his tenure.
He congratulated his successor and urged him to build on the operational foundation established by the outgoing administration.
Aliyu charged Afeni to lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment, while wishing him success in his new assignment.
Taking over the affairs of the unit, Afeni pledged to provide purposeful, professional and accountable leadership in advancing the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management of the Service for the confidence reposed in him.
Afeni said his administration would prioritise intelligence-led enforcement, revenue protection and the safeguarding of Nigeria’s economic and security interests.
He, however, stressed that enforcement operations under his leadership would be firm and lawful while respecting human dignity.
The new Acting Comptroller also promised to facilitate legitimate trade through constructive engagement with traders, manufacturers, importers, exporters, customs brokers and other stakeholders.
He said the unit would pursue an approach that combines effective enforcement with trade facilitation, particularly by engaging legitimate businesses and addressing compliance concerns.
Afeni also called for stronger collaboration with sister security and law-enforcement agencies to combat trans-border crimes, particularly the illicit movement of drugs, arms, currencies, counterfeit goods and other prohibited items.
The new FOU Zone ‘A’ boss further pledged to give attention to the welfare and professional development of officers, noting that personnel development was essential to improving operational efficiency.
He also promised to encourage regular sporting activities among officers to promote physical fitness, teamwork and work-life balance.
The ceremony was attended by the Acting Customs Area Controllers of the Port and Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML), Ogun 1 Area Command and Enugu/Ebonyi/Anambra Area Command, among other senior officers and stakeholders.
