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, in a major intelligence led operation to curb cargo diversion and protect government revenue.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the seizures during a press briefing in Kano on Friday, December 19, 2025, describing the operation as part of sustained enforcement efforts targeting organised cargo diversion syndicates.
According to Adeniyi, the containers were intercepted between the second and fourth quarters of 2025, following credible intelligence and coordinated surveillance by officers of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command.
“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 not hesitate to deploy all lawful measures to detect, deter, and punish offenders,” the CGC warned.
He revealed that the seized containers contained assorted goods, including 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, he noted, fall under prohibited imports as stipulated by the Common External Tariff (CET) regulations.
The Customs boss further disclosed 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, Kano Division, on December 10, 2025.
Adeniyi also confirmed the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of one Abdulrahman Sani Adam for container diversion. The convict was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦3 million fine, a development the CGC described as a strong deterrent to economic saboteurs.
To enhance transit cargo monitoring nationwide, the Comptroller-General announced the near-complete deployment of electronic container tracking devices, which enable real-time monitoring, route compliance, and tamper alerts from seaports to inland destinations.
He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to trade facilitation, revenue protection, and border security, warned that smugglers and their collaborators would face prosecution, forfeiture of goods, and loss of trading privileges.
The CGC urged importers, clearing agents, and logistics operators to comply strictly with approved transit procedures and report suspicious activities to the nearest Customs office.
