Besides their duty of collecting revenue, the TinCan Island Port and Seme Border Commands of the Nigeria Customs Service intensity protection of the country’s security by intercepting 339 riffles and 3,300 cartridges of explosive devices from Ghana illegally conveyed through the border corridor
By Edu Abade
In a bid to fulfil its statutory functions of national security and inter agency collaboration, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over the 399 seized rifles and hundreds of firearm components to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW). The NCS also handed over two seized containers of illicit goods laced with drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
Tentacle recalled that some containers laced with arms and other illicit items were intercepted by the TinCan Island Port Command of the Service.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the seizure underscored the importance of strengthening security controls at Nigeria’s ports and borders, saying that two suspects were linked to the consignment and warned that any Customs personnel found aiding the movement of prohibited goods would face disciplinary action.
Adeniyi commended the officers at the Tin Can Island command especially Comptroller Joseph Anani for their vigilance, noting the importance of such seizures as Nigeria confronts terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He pointed out that the consignment included 399 rifles, 89 frames, 80 charging handles, 579 trigger groups and 25 locking lugs, adding that the interception was made possible through the Service’s trade modernization system and advanced risk-management tools, which allow officers to identify high-risk shipments without physically inspecting all containers.
He cautioned that the quantity of firearms could have had serious consequences if the weapons had reached criminal elements.
While raising concerns over the approaching electioneering season, expressing fears that hundreds of firearms in the wrong hands could threaten the peace of communities and undermine democratic activities. Adeniyi described the operation as a complete enforcement chain, involving the identification and interception of the suspicious consignment, arrest of the suspects, court proceedings and the eventual transfer of the weapons to the national authority responsible for their control.
The NCS boss reiterated that the Customs Service would continue to strengthen its risk management systems and work closely with sister security agencies to prevent the nation’s ports, borders and airports from being used for the illegal importation of firearms and other dangerous items.
Responding, the National Coordinator of the NCCSALW, Johnson Kokumo, disclosed that the Centre has received more than 21,000 Small Arms and Light Weapons from the Nigeria Customs Service since its establishment. He added that more than 19,000 of the weapons had already been destroyed. He assured that the newly received rifles would be catalogued, profiled, and processed for appropriate disposal, stressing the need for stronger intelligence sharing and cooperation among security agencies to disrupt arms-trafficking networks. He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs and officers of the Service for their continued cooperation with the NCCSALW in recovering illicit weapons during enforcement operations.
Also speaking during the handover, Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Port, Joseph Anani, emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in arms control, pledging continued commitment to preventing the illegal movement of small arms and light weapons through Nigeria’s ports. Anani reiterated that effective border management goes beyond mere seizure operations, but requires concerted cooperation among Customs, security agencies and regulatory institutions.
He said this latest seizure reinforces Nigeria’s broader effort to tighten border security and combat the spread of illicit arms.
Meanwhile, officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Seme-Krake Border Command have again, proved their professionalism and dedication to duty by saving the country what would have culminated in another season of violence and banditry, as they recovered a cache of 3,300 cartridges of explosive devices purportedly being illegally shipped from Ghana.
The Command also announced major milestones in its revenue generation profile covering January to July, revealing that its revenue increased by 24.45 percent of N3.899 billion from the N15.9 billion recorded in 2025 to N19.84 billion within the first seven months of 2026, a situation that signals higher revenue collections by the end of 2026.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at the Command, Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila, commended the officers and men, who acted on intelligence, as well as sister security agencies to achieve the feat and saved the country’s from worsening insecurity and devastating public health outcomes.
His words: “Today, we are gathered not merely to display seizures, but to tell the story behind them. Every interception made by this Command represents a deliberate choice between patriotism and greed, between lawful trade and criminality, between protecting Nigerians and allowing dangerous goods to infiltrate our borders.
“The items displayed before you are more than confiscated contraband. They are evidence of the collaboration, professionalism and commitment of officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting our nation. Every seizure recorded reflects our resolve to secure Nigeria’s borders, facilitate legitimate trade, generate revenue for national development and deny criminal networks the opportunity to undermine our economy, security and public health.”
He explained that a huge part of the seizures directly concerns the health and well-being of millions of Nigerians, adding that following credible intelligence, officers of the Seme Area Command intercepted a truck that was deceptively declared to be carrying food items.
“But acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance, our officers subjected the consignment to thorough examination and uncovered 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilograms. What we discovered was deeply disturbing because most of the products had already deteriorated and were visibly decomposing. Intelligence further revealed that the intention was to repackage, relabel and introduce the products into Nigerian markets for unsuspecting consumers.
“Had this shipment succeeded, countless families would have been exposed to serious health hazards ranging from food poisoning and gastrointestinal diseases to other life-threatening medical complications. By intercepting these products, the Nigeria Customs Service has once again demonstrated that border security is also a form of public health protection. Every child, every family and every Nigerian has been protected from what could have become a silent public health disaster.”
He also disclosed that in separate enforcement operations conducted across different flashpoints within our area of responsibility, the Command intercepted 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50 kilograms, smuggled through illegal routes.
Kaila stressed that beyond denying government legitimate revenue, such illicit importation undermines the Federal Government’s agricultural policies, discourages local rice production and threatens the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.
On the Command’s resolve to further combat illicit drugs and harmful substances, he noted that the fight against illicit drugs remains one of the NCS’s critical contributions to national security and public safety.
“Pursuant to this, the Command intercepted 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes. These are not ordinary commodities, they are dangerous products capable of destroying lives, fueling criminality, encouraging substance abuse and undermining the future of our young people.
“The seized illicit drugs intercepted are often linked to cultism, armed robbery, violent crimes and other social vices, while smuggled cigarettes evade health regulations, avoid payment of statutory duties and expose consumers to products outside approved quality standards. Through these interceptions, the Seme Area Command has disrupted criminal supply chains and prevented these dangerous products from reaching our communities,” he stated.
On safeguarding national security, Comptroller Kaila maintained that among the seizures displayed were the ones that pose perhaps the greatest threat to national security, adding, “Our officers intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor.
“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security. The successful interception of these explosives demonstrates the vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven operations of our officers, working in close collaboration with sister security agencies.
“Considering the sensitive nature of the seizure, the explosive materials have already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation.
Also, in its resolve the protect the nation’s economy, the Command intercepted one used speedboat, one used Water Bike, one used Toyota Land Cruiser (2017 Model), one used Toyota RAV4 (2016 Model) and one used Nissan Versa (2010 Model) with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) amounting to ₦365.163 million.
On revenue performance and trade facilitation, he explained that while enforcement remains highly visible, it represents only one dimension of the Command’s statutory responsibilities, while second is facilitating legitimate trade and generating revenue for national development.
“In 2025, the Seme Area Command generated a total revenue of ₦15.941 billion. That achievement reflected improved compliance, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and strengthened operational efficiency. Yet our revenue performance in 2026 has been even more remarkable as the Command generated ₦19.840 billion between January and July 2026.
“This means that within only seven months, the Command has surpassed its entire twelve-month revenue collection for 2025 by ₦3.899 billion, representing a 24.45 per cent increase.
“This achievement demonstrates that effective enforcement and efficient trade facilitation are complementary responsibilities. While we continue to deny smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy, we remain equally committed to creating an enabling environment for compliant traders to conduct legitimate business with ease and predictability,” he stated.
Kaila disclosed that the illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action, while the explosive materials (along with one suspect) have already been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit due to their highly sensitive nature.
