NCS calls for synergy with community leaders to curb border smuggling
From Joseph Adahnu, Yola
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa/Taraba States Command, has called for stronger synergy with community leaders to reduce smuggling along the nation’s borders to the barest minimum.
Area Comptroller Mohammed Kato, made the appeal during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Yola, Adamawa State capital, where he disclosed that officers intercepted no fewer than 1,457 items in the last quarter of 2026.
Highlighting a series of successful anti-smuggling operations carried out over the preceding five weeks, the Comptroller reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to disrupting illegal trade along key routes while operating in line with national laws and international best practices on trade facilitation.
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Acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance, officers forced several groups of smugglers to abandon or surrender their loads.
On 16 August 2026 at approximately 11:21 hrs, suspects linked to a bank/non-performing assets matter dumped their cargo at the shoreline and in nearby bush after officers moved in.
In the early hours of 20th August 2026, 374 jerry cans (25 litres each), of petroleum products were found abandoned along a bush path near a river/border area.
Also on Sunday, 116th ugust 2026, at about 00:21 hrs, operatives acting on actionable intelligence raided the River Benue bank along the Ribadu axis. The team uncovered 451 cartons of foreign bar soap stockpiled at the shoreline in the bush, with arrangements already finalised for smuggling into the country. Confronted by officers, the suspects abandoned the goods and fled into the bush.
Similarly, in the early hours of 20th August 2026, another 374 jerry cans (25-litre capacity each) of PMS were unearthed along a bush path in Sahuda, situated on the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Reinforcing their sustained anti-smuggling drive, a vehicle with registration number XB 566 GML, loaded with 116 bags of foreign parboiled 50kg rice and 50 cartons of foreign soap, was intercepted following credible intelligence along the Wuro Alhaji–Maiha axis on Monday, 14th September 2026 at about 20:00 hrs.
Operatives also discovered 299 jerry cans of PMS on Monday, 21st September 2026 along the Belel–Goshidan axis, with the products intended for smuggling out of the country.
On 2nd October 2026, around 06:00 hrs, acting on actionable intelligence, officers seized 150 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 50 bags of local maize, 11 bales and 5 jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing gathered along a bush path on the Maiha–Mubi axis, all meant for onward smuggling.
Aggregate seizures include : 673 jerry cans/containers of petroleum products (PMS), totalling 16,802 litres, 501 cartons of various soaps, 266 bags of 50kg rice, 11 bales and 5 jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing and one vehicle used as a means of conveyance.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV)/CIF value of the seized goods stood at approximately ₦79,857,500.
All actions were taken under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, specifically the provisions governing prohibition, seizure powers, and the Common External Tariff (CET) prohibition list.
Comptroller Kato thanked the Comptroller-General and Service leadership for providing the necessary resources and support. He praised the officers for their integrity and operational effectiveness, and appealed to the public to treat security as a shared responsibility by supplying timely information.
He also acknowledged the press as partners in exposing the economic damage caused by smuggling. The briefing ended with conventional patriotic remarks.
