Customs Seize N769.5m Diverted Cargo In Kano
•By Admin
KANO — THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday said it seized 20 diverted transit containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N769.53 million across the Kano/Jigawa Area Command between the second and fourth quarters of 2025.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing at the Customs House in Kano, where he displayed the seized consignments and outlined measures being deployed to curb cargo diversion and other trade-related infractions.
Adeniyi said the seizures reflect the Service’s resolve to facilitate legitimate trade while maintaining a zero-tolerance stance against violations that threaten national security and economic stability.
He noted that despite the Federal Government’s investment in Free Trade Zones and the adoption of international best practices, some operators have continued to divert containers en route to inland terminals and bonded facilities, in contravention of Section 64(b) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
According to him, cargo diversion undermines revenue generation, encourages commercial fraud, and exposes the country to serious security and reputational risks, adding that sustained intelligence-led enforcement has continued to yield results.
Giving a breakdown of the seizures, the Customs boss said seven containers of vitrified tiles valued at N228.58 million were intercepted along the Hadejia Road corridor after being unlawfully diverted from the Kano Free Trade Zone. Two containers of diesel engine oil worth N87.56 million and two containers of polyester materials valued at N77.99 million were also seized at private warehouses in the Dakata Industrial Area.
He added that a container carrying 308 bales of used clothing with a DPV of N48.42 million was intercepted near the Gano bonded terminal, while four containers laden with printed and lace fabrics valued at N226.15 million were intercepted while heading to bonded terminals in Kano.
Other seizures included a container of Zamzam-branded bottled water valued at N21.46 million, which violated the Common External Tariff, as well as three containers conveying medical consumables and lace fabrics with a combined DPV of N25.2 million. Two of the containers carrying medical items were subsequently forfeited to the Federal Government following a judgment of the Federal High Court in Kano on December 10, 2025.
Adeniyi disclosed that one container carrying printed fabrics valued at N75.01 million remains under detention pending the conclusion of legal processes, while a suspect, Abdulrahman Sani Adam, was convicted for container diversion and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with an option of a N3 million fine.
The Comptroller-General further announced that the Service is concluding plans for the nationwide deployment of an electronic cargo tracking system, already tested across the South-West and North-West corridors, including Kano/Jigawa, to enable real-time monitoring and alerts when containers deviate from approved routes.
He warned smugglers and their collaborators that the Nigeria Customs Service now possesses enhanced operational capacity and technology to detect, track and prosecute offenders, urging shipping agents, freight forwarders and importers to adhere strictly to approved transit procedures.
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains a reliable partner in legitimate trade, but this partnership is founded on respect for the law and integrity,” Adeniyi said, calling on members of the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest Customs office.
•INDEPENDENTNG.