Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu is set to break a new record in the war against economic sabotage within the South west Zone
By Innocent Chukwu
The war against smuggling, otherwise referred to as economic sabotage, has taken a new dimension within the six states of the South west region with the recent arrival of Comptroller MS Shuaibu to the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Lagos as the new Customs Area Controller (CAC). Comptroller Shuaibu recently took over the mantle of leadership of the Command from the outgone Comptroller IK Oladeji.
This medium gathered that upon taking over as the new CAC, Comptroller Shuaibu has begun to carve a unique approach to waging the war against smugglers in order to break a new record of performance in reducing smuggling activities to barest minimum in the region the Command is policing.
In their usual characteristic manner, credible sources said smugglers had intended to take advantage of the change of leadership at the FOU to intensify their nefarious acts pending when Comptroller Shuaibu would settle down and get set for full operations. But the smugglers miscalculated because the new CAC would not leave anything to chance as he is said to have been fully prepared before his arrival, to engage die-hard smugglers in their own game.
Tentacle gathered reliably that Shuaibu sounded a stern warning to officers of the Command to build, as never before, a water-tight security around every identified route through which notorious smugglers ply their illicit trade before he would begin to reshuffle the officers.
The warning paid off. Within the first week of Shuaibu’s resumption, series of seizures were recorded. One particular seizure that sounded remarkable is that of 800 bags of foreign parboiled rice smuggled through the Ogun State borders.
The bags of rice were intercepted by the FOU Zone A officers at their checkpoint located at the old toll gate along Lagos-Benin Road, Ijebu Ode in Ogun State. Similarly, other Units of the Command in the zone dealt deadly blows to the activities of smugglers which resulted in numerous seizures within the first week of Shuaibu’s resumption of duty.
Sources at the Command hinted that the new CAC has already begun to apply new rules and methods that will see the Unit perform better in the coming months and to break new records in dissuading smugglers from their nefarious acts.
To prove the stuff he is made of, in the war against smugglers, on Friday, May 16, 2025, Comptroller Shuaibu at his maiden press briefing hinted that he has changed the operational method of anti-smuggling from that of conventional road blocking system to intelligence-driven approach.
Shuaibu gave details of the Unit’s anti-smuggling operation since assuming office and explained that in a significant achievement in battle against illicit trade, officers and men of the Command, who acted on credible intelligence, successfully intercepted and seized 7X20ft containers filled with various illicit items within the Lagos metropolis.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the containers include MSKU 8551954 filled with used tyres and vehicle, SYDU 1479614, MSKU 7751689 and MSKU 798700 containing foreign parboiled rice, ZCSU 8845072 filled with new shoes, ZCSU 7055181 containing new Clothes and PIDU 4258491 filled with new bags.
Other seizures were 4,085 of 50 kilograms bags of foreign parboiled rice, an equivalent of seven trailer loads, 15 illegally imported foreign used vehicles, 82 packs of Tramadol, with 10 sachets per pack, 246 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, 290 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 12 Bales and four sacks of used clothings.
The Controller also disclosed that four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures which total Duty Paid Value (DPV) amounted to N1.5 billion.
While showcasing the seizures, the elated Shuaibu enthused, “Our renewed efforts have significantly bolstered our strategies to secure Nigeria’s Southwestern states’ borders against economic saboteurs. Within this short period of three weeks, this Unit has inflicted substantial losses on these non-state actors through the interception of numerous illegal goods.”
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its efforts to combat smuggling, counterfeit products, and other forms of illicit trade. These achievements testify to our unwavering dedication to protecting our economy and citizens. We will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and border communities to dismantle the networks engaged in illicit activities.
“In line with the dictates of the NCS to foster inter-agency collaboration, we will be handing over the seized 246kg of cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Tramadol capsules will be handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
“We encourage the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to smuggling or illicit trade. I also urged those declaring their goods to remain honest in their declarations to avoid unnecessary bottleneck.”
On trade facilitation, he said, “In an era characterized by increasing global integration, efficient trade facilitation is vital for unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and fostering regional integration. I take this responsibility seriously.
“Our intelligence-driven operations are designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive trading environment that will benefit our stakeholders and the public through barrier-free operations, as we intend to collapse all patrol points within Lagos metropolis.”
Comptroller Shuaibu commended the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the management team for the opportunity to serve as Comptroller FOU A, adding, “We remain committed to fulfilling our responsibilities to the best of our ability. To our dedicated officers, I commend you and urge you to maintain this momentum. I also extend my appreciation to the Media for their continued support of our efforts.”
