The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 20 diverted transit containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦769,533,666 along the Kano/Jigawa axis, following intelligence-led enforcement operations aimed at curbing cargo diversion and protecting government revenue.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this at a press briefing in Kano on Friday, 19 December 2025. He said the seizures, carried out between the second and fourth quarters of 2025, were part of sustained efforts to dismantle organised cargo diversion networks.
Adeniyi warned that cargo diversion poses a significant threat to national revenue, security, and Nigeria’s credibility in the global trading system. “Cargo diversion is a grave offence that undermines government revenue, compromises national security, and damages Nigeria’s standing in international commerce. The Nigeria Customs Service will deploy all lawful measures to detect, deter, and punish offenders,” he said.
Items recovered from the seized containers include vitrified tiles unlawfully diverted from the Kano Free Trade Zone with a DPV of ₦228.6 million, diesel engine oil, polyester materials, used clothing, printed and lace fabrics, medical consumables, and Zamzam bottled water. Some of the items are listed as prohibited imports under the Common External Tariff (CET) regulations.
The Comptroller-General further revealed that while one container remains under detention pending the conclusion of legal processes, two containers of medical consumables were forfeited to the Federal Government following a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court on 10 December 2025.
He also confirmed the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of Abdulrahman Sani Adam for container diversion. The convict was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦3 million fine, a development Adeniyi described as a strong deterrent to would-be offenders.
To strengthen transit cargo monitoring nationwide, the Customs boss announced the near-complete deployment of electronic container tracking devices, which enable real-time monitoring, route compliance, and tamper alerts from ports to inland destinations.
Reaffirming the Service’s commitment to trade facilitation, revenue protection, and border security, Adeniyi warned that smugglers and their collaborators would face prosecution, forfeiture, and loss of trading privileges. He urged importers, agents, and logistics operators to strictly comply with approved transit procedures and report suspicious activities to the nearest Customs office.
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