The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that its officers busted and interrupted multiple smuggling operations across Kano and Jigawa states, intercepting prohibited goods valued at more than ₦1.01billion and arresting several suspects within a two-month period.
According to Customs, the seizures were carried out by its Kano/Jigawa Area Command through intelligence-driven operations between January and early March 2026.
Speaking during his maiden press briefing at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano, Acting Customs Area Controller, Usman Adamu, said the seizures followed coordinated patrols, intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies.
According to him, the intercepted items ranged from undeclared foreign currencies and precious metals to smuggled vehicles, illicit pharmaceutical products and trafficked wildlife.
“Our anti-smuggling operations are designed to protect the Nigerian economy, safeguard public health and prevent illicit trade that undermines legitimate businesses,” Adamu said.
He disclosed that one of the major interceptions occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, where customs officers discovered large sums of undeclared foreign currencies concealed in a passenger’s luggage.
“Our officers recovered 106,500 United States dollars, 134,256 Saudi riyals, 28 Chinese yuan and 20 Ghanaian cedis from the passenger, who failed to declare the funds in line with existing financial regulations,” Adamu stated.
In another incident, an outbound passenger was intercepted with silver bars weighing about 22.8 kilograms concealed in his baggage without the required export documentation.
Adamu also revealed that officers intercepted two smuggled Dongfeng vehicles along the Kano–Hadejia and Maiduguri roads. One of the vehicles was discovered to be conveying six silver metal bars weighing about 12.2 kilograms.
The Acting Controller said the suspect, alongside the undeclared currencies and precious metals, had been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.
The command also intensified surveillance along key smuggling routes, leading to the interception of 1,447 used pneumatic tyres along the Yan Awaki axis of the Eastern Bypass in Kano.
“Along the Babura axis in Jigawa State, Customs officers also intercepted a Citroën bus conveying 35 bales of second-hand clothing and several kegs of foreign refined vegetable oil in violation of import restrictions,” he said.
Adamu further disclosed that officers intercepted a Howo truck head with forged temporary importation documents along the Katsina–Kano axis.
In a separate operation around Ajiri village in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State, another Howo truck loaded with 2,765 cartons of smuggled foreign spaghetti was seized.
The command also recorded a significant bust involving suspected illicit pharmaceutical products.
According to Adamu, officers intercepted more than 15 million capsules of Pregabalin 300mg at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company terminal of the airport.
“The products were suspected to be unregistered medicaments without approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the seized items will be handed over to the agency for further investigation,” he said.
Beyond contraband goods, the command also handled cases involving livestock theft and wildlife trafficking.
Adamu said officers intercepted two cows suspected to have been rustled along Gezawa Road in Kano and arrested two suspects, who were later handed over to the police.
He also revealed that officers rescued a live lion cub within Kano metropolis and arrested two suspects over the illegal possession of the animal.
Further wildlife interceptions included a live pangolin and another dead specimen around the Na’ibawa axis of Kano, as well as another live pangolin seized along the Kano–Maiduguri road.
Adamu said the wildlife seizures were carried out in line with the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
“In total, the Command recorded seizures of nine major categories of prohibited items with a Duty Paid Value exceeding ₦1.018billion within the period under review,” he said.
