I earned a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, Lagos and I have written several articles in The Guardian, so, I am one of your own. The Guardian has been in the vanguard of the struggle to make Nigeria better and it is the flagship of Nigerian journalism. Any intellectual that doesn’t read The Guardian is doing so at his own peril. The paper is the best in Africa, so, I am here to pay homage, and appreciate what it is doing.I am also here to tell Nigerians about the activities of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). NCS is not a wicked organisation as some claim that we always seize rice. It is one of the oldest organisations in Nigeria, but many do not know. Customs was in existence before 1861 but it was not centralised. There was Customs before colonisation.So, I am here to seek support in educating Nigerians on the duties of NCS and to tell the Customs story. What are the functions of the NCS?
The number one function is revenue generation. The NCS target in 2024 was N5 trillion but we generated N6.1 trillion, this year, we will achieve more than our target. In Seme, our target was N6 billion in 2024, but we made N7 billion. Between January and July 2025, we earned N3.5 billion. Our target cannot be less than N7billion for this year. We will generate more than N8 billion this year. We are doing well in terms of revenue.The Nigerian Customs is doing well in intercepting illegal goods. About 10 million light weapons are in Nigeria, in the hands of non-state actors. Arms in the hands of non-state actors cannot be controlled and that is why there is Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab and others. Arms were brought in through the Sahel region after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, coupled with the tendencies of imperialist, because the arms they produce must go somewhere and the arms are finding their ways into the hands of non-state actors. Customs has been seizing the arms and ammunition. Immediately Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi assumed office as the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, he seized about 444 rifles in Port Harcourt. People are asking why we seize rice; we are seizing rice to protect our local industry and farmers. Nigeria is the highest producer of rice in Africa with 8,435,000 metric tons, followed by Tanzania, Rwanda and Egypt but they cannot sell because people prefer foreign rice and when that happens, the industry is crippled, so, it’s the job of the Customs that Nigerians patronise local rice. I’ve seized thousands bags of rice in Seme. As a result of poverty in Nigeria, people are patronising used clothes not knowing who wore them in Europe. Some of the used clothes were worn by patients with leprosy, cholera and others. Nigerians are importing and using used pants. Our warehouses are filled with second hand clothing. We burn the clothes because we don’t want them to be used by Nigerians. We also seize used tyres. Before now, we used to have Michelin tyre and others but they collapsed because Nigerians prefer second hand tyres. Second hand tyres are expired tyres that people don’t use in Europe. At least one person dies on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway because tyres burst on speed. We have the sacred duty to enforce the ban. Tell us some of your accomplishment since you assume the position of Customs Controller in 2022?
My first posting as a controller was in Kebbi. I brought drug pushers to a standstill and the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) gave me an award. When I was deployed to Oyo/Osun Command, I went with historical knowledge of effects of fake drugs. I told them that a new Sheriff is in town. My first seizures were trucks filled with fake Augmentin and the CGC commended me. I seized a bus filled with cannabis three days after I resumed at Seme. A study by the United Nations (UN) on crime and drug in 1987 showed that one out of seven Nigerians are on drugs. Parents think their children are in school but some of them are on drugs. Our future leaders are taking drugs. We have been seizing drugs and I have warned my officers not to compromise; money from drugs, ammunition and others are blood money and perpetrators will answer before God.
President Bola Tinubu said fighting against drug abuse is not a matter of policy but a matter of moral imperative. The future of children is tied to a drug-free society. Drug has a role to play in every crime and that is why we must fight them.
I seized three trucks loads of donkeys about to be exported to China while I was in Kebbi. They wrote petitions, used the press against me but I stood my ground. I went to the management with my background and I showed them that we are bound by the law and they accepted it. The trucks were seized and destroyed. Foreigners are in Nigeria exporting endangered species at our detriment.
What have you done differently since your deployment to Seme Area Command?
I have improved revenue of the Command. When I came on board, I installed a new technology called B’Odogwu to facilitate the clearing of goods. I also introduced motivation schemes among officers. I give letter of commendation and cash award to officers. I recommend performing officers to the ACG or the CG to give more awards at the end of the year and this has spurred my officers to work and this has led to improvement. I reduced Customs check points between Badagry and Seme border from seven to three. I collapsed Owode Axis to two. The problems we have are with other agencies. I don’t have control over them. This is a corridor linking French-West Africa, so, anything people coming in sees on the road tells our stories.
The Command has been without power supply from the grid for seven years. I called for a stakeholder meeting when I came in and now the installation has commenced. There is sanity in Seme now. We earned N850 million in June 2025. I surround myself with people with capacity and not tribe. Most of the officers are going back to school to get more degrees and add to their capacity because of my influence. I won three awards at the Customs National awards ceremony in 2024. My warehouses are filled because we don’t show mercy on smugglers. If I die today and God asks me what I did on earth, I will say, ‘seizing contraband goods and I will repeat the same if He asks me the question again. We have safeguarded the area, I visit the Obas, meet the Aare Ona Kakanfo, IbaGani Adams.
How do you handle agencies rivalry and stop officers from involving in smuggling?
The meeting with heads of security was stopped eight years ago and I resumed the meeting when I resumed. We have the meeting on monthly basis where we share ideas. Agencies rivalry has ended. I told other security agencies that no one should use official position to get involved in smuggling. I warned that I will arrest anyone involved and that has reduced smuggling.
What transformation has happened in the NCS?
Before now, members of the Nigerian Army led us. It was like bringing a professor to become the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) or as a Customs officer appointed as the Editor of TheGuardian or COAS but it changed in 2023 when President Tinubu decided to appoint one of our own, a thoroughbred professional, humane and sharp in intellect.
Our bonuses are being paid. I have about 10 operational vehicles to get from the service in the next few days. We have never had it so good before now. So, I want the press to help us project him. We are making more revenue, facilitating trades. We are modernising our computerisation to make processes at the port faster so that goods can be cleared within 24 hours.
What are the challenges facing NCS?
The NCS loses at least a Custom officer monthly. I get a lot of threats in Seme but this is the job we signed up for.
What is your take on fencing of the Nigerian borders?
We have about 4,400 borders with neighboring countries; 773km with Benin Republic; 1,470 with Niger Republic; 1,690 with Cameroon and 83km with Chad. Nigeria has 1,400 porous borders, so, we are operating in a remarkable terrain. The borders between Pakistan and India are about 1,350; about 1,450 between Saudi Arabia and its neighbouring countries. Even if we line up the whole Customs officers at the border, they will not be able to eradicate smuggling. No part of the world smuggling has been eradicated, what we are doing is to reduce. Unlike in America where Customs officers stay in the room and watch someone climb the wall of Mexico, we don’t have drones to do that. Despite that, we are doing our best.
What is your take on fencing of the Nigerian borders?
We have about 4,400 borders with neighboring countries; 773km with Benin Republic; 1,470 with Niger Republic; 1,690 with Cameroon and 83km with Chad. Nigeria has 1,400 porous borders, so, we are operating in a remarkable terrain. The borders between Pakistan and India are about 1,350; about 1,450 between Saudi Arabia and its neighbouring countries. Even if we line up the whole Customs officers at the border, they will not be able to eradicate smuggling. No part of the world smuggling has been eradicated, what we are doing is to reduce. Unlike in America where Customs officers stay in the room and watch someone climb the wall of Mexico, we don’t have drones to do that. Despite that, we are doing our best. Fencing our borders is a good idea but it’s highly capital intensive. It’s not enough to build a wall, the wall must be safeguarded.
