Kano/Jigawa Customs Area Command seizes N1.71bn contraband, generates N63.08bn in 6 months 

The Kano/Jigawa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has generated N63.08 billion in revenue between January and June 2026, representing a 7.4 percent increase over the N58.39 billion collected during the corresponding period in 2025.

The Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Usman  Adamu, stated this Wednesday during a media briefing at the command headquarters in Bompai, Kano, where he presented the command’s half-year operational report.

He said the command generated N63, 078,655,523.44 during the review period despite a decline in cargo which exceeded the previous year’s figure by N4.69 billion.

He fsaid the Kano Free Trade Zone contributed more than N26 billion in the first half of 2026, surpassing its entire revenue for the whole of 2025 by about N4 billion. He added that the command also recovered approximately N3 billion through the detection of abuses in transit procedures.

On enforcement, the acting controller said intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with other security agencies led to the seizure of prohibited and restricted items with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.71 billion.

The seized items included unregistered pharmaceuticals such as tramadol and pregabalin, four air pistols imported in violation of the Firearms Act, elephant tusks, over 2,000 containers of 25-litre foreign packaged vegetable oil, military uniforms and accoutrements, smuggled vehicles, foreign rice, spaghetti and macaroni, counterfeit agrochemical packaging materials, an RX drone camera without the required End User Certificate, and 14 diverted transit containers.

Adamu said 22 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures, noting that some have been handed over to relevant security and regulatory agencies for further investigation, while others were granted administrative bail.