The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, has intensified its crackdown on smuggling with the seizure of contraband goods valued at over ₦6.3 billion while also unveiling new technology-driven initiatives to strengthen port security and trade facilitation.
The development was announced during an operational briefing at the command in Apapa Port, Lagos, where officials highlighted the deployment of advanced analytical tools and scanning technology to enhance cargo monitoring and intelligence-driven enforcement.
As part of the reforms, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, commissioned the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytical Arena, which houses key operational units including the Analytics Centre of Excellence. The facility is designed to harness data analytics for improved risk management, intelligence gathering, and global trade facilitation.
Speaking during the event, the Apapa Area Controller, Emmanuel Oshoba, described the new infrastructure as a major step toward intelligence-led operations.
“The CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytical Arena houses key units including the Analytics Centre of Excellence. This infrastructure reflects the vision to deploy modern technology and analytics in combating smuggling while facilitating legitimate trade,” Oshoba said.
He added that data remains a critical tool for effective communication and cooperation among global institutions, noting that improved data utilisation would strengthen risk management across international trade systems.
In addition to the analytics facility, the Customs leadership also inspected the newly deployed Drive-Through Scanner at APM Terminals located within Apapa Port. According to Oshoba, the scanner will streamline cargo inspection processes, reduce cargo dwell time, and significantly enhance port security.
“This is a game-changer for Apapa Port, Nigeria’s busiest maritime gateway,” he said.
As part of efforts to improve officer welfare, the command also commissioned a health clinic dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of customs personnel.
Major Seizures
The command revealed that several containers and consignments were intercepted for violating import regulations and posing serious risks to public health and national security.
Among the seized items were:
Artesunate 60 injections (Container No. MRSU 5147562)
Restricted security equipment including bulletproof vests and helmets (Container No. PCIU 286888)
Expired biscuits (Container No. TCLU 3819607)
36,000 cans of expired Primo energy drinks (Container No. UGMU 8692902)
Expired St. Kelvin tomato paste (Container No. SUDU 1696593)
Expired De Truth tomato paste (Container No. TCLU 1923314)
1,700 cartons of codeine cough syrup (Container No. TCNU 7257465)
1,575 cartons of CSMIX containing codeine (Container No. CAAU 8375050)
347.57 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa discovered in a Toyota Sienna vehicle
Customs authorities warned that the seized items posed serious threats to public health and could contribute to substance abuse if allowed into the market.
Adeniyi reiterated that the Apapa Port would no longer serve as a safe passage for smugglers, stressing that enforcement actions would remain strict.
He, however, assured compliant traders of smoother operations and improved predictability under the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, which is designed to facilitate legitimate trade while maintaining strong regulatory oversight.
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