Adamawa/Taraba Customs Intercepts Smuggled Goods Worth ₦79.86m, Seeks Public, Media Support
Adamawa/Taraba Customs Intercepts Smuggled Goods Worth ₦79.86m, Seeks Public, Media Support
By Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, has intercepted smuggled goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦79,857,500 in a series of anti-smuggling operations along border corridors, urging the public and media to support efforts to combat the illicit trade.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller of Customs, Mohammed Tako, disclosed this on Friday, 23 October 2026, during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, Customs House, Yola. He said the Command recorded the seizures over five weeks through intelligence-driven operations and tactical surveillance across its area of responsibility, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to national economic growth, effective border control, and trade facilitation.
The seized items comprised 673 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), equivalent to 16,825 litres; 501 cartons of foreign bar soap; 266 bags of foreign parboiled rice weighing 50kg each; 20 bags of local maize weighing 100kg each; 11 bales and five jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing; and a Mitsubishi Canter truck used to convey the contraband. Tako said the operations targeted unapproved routes and locations smugglers use to move prohibited or restricted goods across borders.
According to the Customs Area Controller, on 16 August 2026, operatives raided the River Benue bank along the Ribadu axis, where they discovered 451 cartons of foreign bar soap stockpiled near the shoreline for smuggling into the country. The suspects reportedly abandoned the goods and fled into the bush. On 20 August, officers recovered 374 jerry cans of PMS, each with a 25-litre capacity, along a bush path in Sahuda near the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
He added that on 14 September, officers intercepted a Mitsubishi Canter truck, registration number XB 566 GML, along the Wuro Alhaji-Maiha axis, following credible intelligence. The vehicle was conveying 116 bags of foreign parboiled rice and 50 cartons of foreign soap. On 21 September, operatives discovered another 299 jerry cans of PMS along an unapproved route on the Belel-Goshidan axis, allegedly intended for smuggling out of the country.
The latest seizure occurred on 2 October 2026, when officers, acting on intelligence,, discovered 150 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 20 bags of local maize, 11 bales, and five jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing along a bush path on the Maiha-Mubi axis. The goods had reportedly been assembled for onward smuggling. Tako said the seizures were made under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, particularly Sections 150, 233, 245, 246, and 248, as well as Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff, which contains the Import Prohibition List.
The Customs Area Controller commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Service’s management for providing the resources and logistical support required for effective operations. He also praised the officers for their intelligence gathering, professionalism, and commitment to the anti-smuggling campaign, noting that their efforts helped protect the national economy and strengthen border security.
Tako urged the public to treat security as a collective responsibility by providing timely, credible information about suspicious activities in their communities. He also described the media as a vital partner in the campaign, calling on journalists to intensify public education on the economic and security consequences of smuggling. He said sustained cooperation among citizens, the media, security agencies and other stakeholders remained essential to safeguarding the nation’s borders and promoting sustainable economic growth.
