Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
The Kano-Jigawa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a landmark performance in 2026, generating N88.925 billion in revenue between January and the first week of September while intercepting contraband with a combined Duty Paid Value of N2.159 billion in the last two months alone. The figures, which represent one of the most impressive half-year turnarounds in the command’s history, were disclosed on Friday by the Acting Area Comptroller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Usman Adamu, during a press briefing at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano.
Addressing journalists, Adamu recalled that the command had generated N63.078 billion by the end of June, meaning that the year-to-date revenue has since surged by approximately N25 billion, driven largely by an aggressive enforcement push that began in July. That month, he said, set a new record for the command, with over N14 billion collected in a single month—the highest monthly revenue figure ever recorded in the history of the Kano-Jigawa Area Command. The revenue surge reflects not only improved compliance among traders but also intensified anti-smuggling operations that have denied criminal networks the space to operate with impunity.
Beyond the revenue numbers, the command’s enforcement arm has been relentless. Adamu listed a staggering array of seizures, ranging from everyday food items to endangered wildlife and undeclared foreign currencies. Among the items intercepted were 1,491 cartons of foreign spaghetti valued at N38.74 million, 2,928 packs of foreign macaroni worth N280.73 million, 35 bags of foreign parboiled rice valued at N8.14 million, and 19 bags of expired foreign rice worth N475,000. The command also seized 3,000 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil with a Duty Paid Value of N431.85 million, alongside 514 cartons of assorted soaps valued at N38.07 million. These seizures, Adamu noted, violate Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which restricts the importation of certain food items through land borders.
The command also cracked down on the abuse of transit facilities, intercepting eight suspected diverted transit truck heads valued at N300.91 million and seven smuggled vehicles of different brands worth N410.54 million. Five 40-foot diverted transit containers with a combined Duty Paid Value of N645.16 million were also seized, in what Adamu described as a flagrant violation of Sections 64 and 235 of the NCS Act, which govern the movement of goods in transit. In a particularly troubling disclosure, the Acting Controller revealed that some of the intercepted smuggled vehicles bore government service official number plates, an apparent attempt to evade Customs control and exploit the system.
The enforcement drive extended to the pharmaceutical sector, where officers intercepted 712,690 tablets of unregistered drugs and 17,470 vials and ampoules. The illicit pharmaceutical products were immediately handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for further investigation and appropriate action. Adamu stressed that the command remains vigilant against the influx of counterfeit and unregulated medicines, which pose a grave danger to public health.
Perhaps the most dramatic highlight of the briefing was the command’s interception of 48 endangered wildlife specimens on August 25, 2026, in what Adamu described as possibly the largest and most diverse single wildlife seizure in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service and potentially the entire West African sub-region. The haul included 15 primates—among them chimpanzees, gorillas, and bush babies—four wild cats, including civets and caracals, 25 wild birds, two albino crocodiles, and a honey badger. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the trafficking and handed over to the Special Wildlife Office at Customs headquarters for further investigation. The seizure, Adamu said, demonstrates the command’s determination to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity and fulfil its obligations under international conventions and the NCS Act 2023.
The command also made significant inroads in anti-money laundering enforcement, intercepting undeclared foreign currencies above the permissible threshold. Officers recovered $73,300, £15,975, and 827,800 Saudi Riyals, and two suspects were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kano Zonal Directorate, for investigation. In a separate operation, two suspects were arrested with 993.9 metres of vandalised high-voltage aluminium conductors valued at N2.88 million, while 6,072 counterfeit agro-packaging materials worth N1.82 million were also seized. The suspects and materials would be handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for further action.
Adamu used the occasion to send a clear message to the business community. He urged legitimate traders to comply with customs and fiscal regulations, stressing that the command would continue to combine enforcement with trade facilitation. “For those engaged in legitimate trade, our message is clear: compliance remains the most effective way of conducting business without unnecessary interruption,” he said. He also warned smugglers and economic saboteurs that the command’s intensified surveillance and enforcement operations would leave no room for their illicit activities.
The Kano-Jigawa Area Command’s performance in 2026 has set a new benchmark for customs operations in the region. With revenue collection soaring past N88 billion and seizures covering everything from contraband food and fake drugs to exotic wildlife and smuggled vehicles, the command has demonstrated that it is not merely a revenue-collecting agency but a frontline defender of Nigeria’s economy, public health, and national security. As Adamu noted, the command’s responsibilities extend far beyond the collection of duties—they encompass border regulation, the prevention of smuggling, the protection of public health, and the enforcement of laws that safeguard the nation’s sovereignty. If the first eight months of 2026 are any indication, the Kano-Jigawa Customs Command is just getting started.
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