General
Customs Seizes 20,600 Litres of Petrol Worth N112.6m in Adamawa
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its anti-smuggling campaign with a string of major interceptions across multiple border corridors, recovering 20,600 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and other goods with a combined Duty Paid Value of N112.6million.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Garba Bashir, made this announcement during a press conference at the Customs House in Yola, where he presented details of the Command’s latest operations aimed at curbing trans-border crimes and protecting public health.
According to him, the seized 20,600 litres of PMS, also known as petrol, were packed in 824 jerrycans of 25-litre capacity each.
The other recovered goods included 91 cartons of expired Tramadol capsules, 54 cartons of foreign soaps, and 64 pieces of complete raw donkey skins intended for illegal exportation.
Comptroller Bashir stated that the Command recorded 29 seizures within six weeks of intensive patrol and intelligence-driven operations along smuggling flashpoints, including the Mubi–Sahuda axis, the Girei–Wuro Bokki route, the Jamtari–Farang/Belel area, Wuro Alhaji, the Damare bank, the Gurin–Fufore axis, and the Yerima road in Gembu.
Speaking on the dangers posed by expired medical products, he disclosed that 91 cartons of Tramadol capsules were intercepted on August 30, 2025, in Mubi through coordinated enforcement and credible intelligence.
He warned that the spread of substandard and expired drugs could result in mass health crises, high mortality rates, and increased youth addiction.
“If these expired Tramadol capsules had found their way into circulation, they could have caused widespread harm, human capital deterioration, and unfair market competition. The Command will hand them over to NAFDAC immediately after this briefing, in line with Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023,” the Comptroller said.
He added that the Command would work closely with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to ensure the safe destruction of the seized drugs in a joint operation at a later date.
Regarding the interception of 64 raw donkey skins, Comptroller Bashir explained that the items were seized on September 30, 2025, at the Damare River Bank, following intelligence reports. The smugglers, he said, had concealed the skins in three sacks, awaiting nightfall to ferry them across the waterways into Cameroon.
He noted that the export of donkey skin contravenes Schedule 6 (Export Prohibition List) of the Common External Tariff and Section 150 of the NCS Act 2023.
“The seizure represents the slaughter of 64 donkeys. If this illicit trade continues unchecked, the species risks extinction. Such activities are primarily driven by international demand, particularly from Asia,” he said.
Similarly, 54 cartons of foreign soap were seized along the Damare River Bank on October 3, 2025, at approximately 10:00 p.m. The importation, according to the CAC, contravenes Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff (2022–2026) and Section 233 of the NCS Act 2023.
He disclosed that the seized PMS would be auctioned to the public immediately after the press conference in accordance with the Service’s Standard Operating Procedure, with proceeds remitted into the Federation Account.
Emphasising the Command’s sustained engagement with border communities, the CAC said continuous dialogue with residents has helped disrupt smuggling networks and strengthen intelligence-sharing mechanisms.
He noted that cooperation with sister security agencies and other Customs units had greatly contributed to the Command’s operational success.
Comptroller Bashir commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for his visionary leadership and consistent support in empowering field operations.
He extended gratitude to the media for their balanced reportage and urged journalists to continue educating the public on the dangers of smuggling to the nation’s economy and security.
“Let me state unequivocally that the Command will not relent in the fight against illicit trade until smuggling cartels and networks in Adamawa and Taraba States are completely dismantled within the confines of the law,” Comptroller Bashir said.
He concluded by assuring that the Command would remain vigilant in protecting Nigeria’s borders and upholding its mandate of revenue generation, national security, and trade facilitation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have apprehended the Director General of the phantom Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Mr Adeniyi Adeyemi.
His arrest happened a few hours after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for his arrest.
The police had announced plans to arraign Mr Adeyemi before the court on Tuesday over allegations bordering on forgery, impersonation, and related offences.
The security agency, in a fresh charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, listed Mr Adeyemi, “Femi Surname Unknown,” and “Anu Surname Unknown” as the first to third defendants, respectively, over alleged forgery and impersonation.
The prosecution has lined up several witnesses, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, police officers, civil servants, and individuals allegedly linked to the operations of the purported agency. It was reported that a hotel operator, a clergyman, and persons said to have worked with Mr Adeyemi at the alleged agency are also expected to testify.
Investigators alleged that Mr Adeyemi operated the purported agency from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja before his arrest.
The police case follows a public debate over the existence of the alleged PFIPC after Mr Adeyemi challenged the Presidency’s denial that the body ever existed.
Mr Adeyemi accused Mr Gbajabiamila of making conflicting statements regarding both the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).
During a recent press briefing, Mr Adeyemi called for an independent probe into the two bodies and alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila demanded financial payments linked to his purported appointment.
He claimed that N400 million was paid through intermediaries, with an additional N200 million allegedly requested—claims that have not been substantiated.
Mr Adeyemi also argued that references to both the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act, questioning the government’s position that the organisations never officially existed.
The planned prosecution comes as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) continues a broader investigation ordered by President Tinubu.
The Senate had earlier declined to immediately investigate the inclusion of the alleged PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, opting instead to await the outcome of the anti-graft agency’s probe.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed two fuel stations in Ogun State engaging in under-dispensing of petroleum products and non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.
Leading the enforcement team around the Akute-Ajuwon axis of the state, the Head of Distribution Systems Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Mr Olufemi Adebowale, said the move became imperative in view of repeated breaches of regulatory requirements by the affected stations and the need to protect the rights of consumers from sharp practices.
According to him, the development is part of its ongoing efforts to enforce compliance with industry regulations, protect consumers from sharp practices, and ensure that petroleum marketers dispense the correct quantity of products across the state.
He explained that records available to the authority showed that the fuel stations have consistently violated regulatory compliance by under-dispensing petroleum products, illegally breaking official seals placed on the facility, and resuming operations without authorisation.
According to him, such actions amount to a violation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 and undermine efforts to protect consumers from exploitation.
“The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority is carrying out a lawful enforcement on this facility. Our records have consistently shown that this company has been violating regulatory compliance.”
“It is high time we made it clear that they cannot continue to under-dispense products, deliberately remove our seals, and believe that nothing will happen; that is why we are here to enforce the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 he said.
“When it comes to under-dispensing, they are cheating members of the public by not selling the correct quantity of fuel. Also, once a station is sealed, it has no authorisation to operate. But this station deliberately removed our seal and continued operations, which is against the law.”
Mr Adebowale disclosed that the authority has been monitoring the station’s activities since 2025, describing the violations as persistent despite several enforcement actions.
He revealed that the affected station had been sealed no fewer than six times within the period, but continued to remove the authority’s seals and ignore invitations extended by the regulator.
“From our records, this has been happening since last year. The station has also refused to honour our invitations. It has been sealed not less than six times, yet it keeps removing our seals and resuming operations.”
On the sanctions awaiting the operators, Adebowale said the authority had served the stations with enforcement notices, while the facilities would remain shut until all stipulated conditions are met.
He added that the NMDPRA management would also consider suspending the operating licence of the affected stations, while also sending a strong warning to any fuel station intending to go against the rules of PIA.
“That is against the rules. They do not have any right to operate until we authorise them to do so. This is a clear deviation from regulatory compliance. According to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), when this happens, we must carry out enforcement, and that is why we are here today.
Beyond conducting this exercise, we are also using this opportunity to address the public through the media. As long as operators are doing the right thing, they have nothing to fear. However, for those going against compliance levels—whether through under-dispensing or direct violation of our seal—all necessary enforcement, penalties, and sanctions will be strictly applied against such offenders.”
“A letter has been served, the station has been completely shut down, and they must meet all the conditions, including payment of the applicable penalties. We are also looking at suspending the operating licence, subject to management’s approval,” he said, warning that any further attempt to tamper with the seals or resume operations illegally would attract criminal prosecution.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has moved to reduce port gridlock by releasing trucks into Apapa and Tin Can ports in scheduled batches based on terminal demand, while enforcing strict rules against indiscriminate parking on port access roads.
The General Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Mr Debo Lawal, said the NPA management, led by Managing Director, Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, was committed to ending indiscriminate truck parking around the ports and aligning operations with global best practices.
He said the authority was working with Truck Transit Parks Limited (TTP) to regulate truck movement into terminals through a phased release system.
According to him, trucks will now be released in scheduled batches based on terminal demand, instead of allowing all approved trucks to enter the port corridor simultaneously.
“If a terminal requires 100 trucks, they will not all be released at once. They will come in batches to reduce pressure on the port access roads,” he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
Mr Lawal said a joint task force had been clearing Apapa and Tin Can port access roads since June 26, 2026, operating until about 8 pm daily to prevent indiscriminate parking.
He added that another clearance exercise would soon be conducted to sustain the gains and prevent a return to the persistent gridlock that previously characterised the port corridors.
The port manager, however, urged truck operators to support the initiative by exiting the port environment immediately after loading or offloading cargo.
He noted that some truck drivers still parked along access roads after completing port operations, despite repeated engagements by the authority.
“We engage truckers and their leadership every day, but enforcement will continue alongside sensitisation to ensure compliance,” he said.
On infrastructure, Mr Lawal said the federal government, through the NPA, had begun payment of the five per cent counterpart funding required for the 726 million dollar port rehabilitation project.
He disclosed that preliminary activities, including borehole drilling and site investigations, had been completed, while contractors were expected to mobilise to the site before the end of July.
According to him, a technical stakeholders’ meeting was held on July 7, while a broader stakeholders’ review was scheduled for July 13 to assess progress and address implementation gaps.
Mr Lawal said the rehabilitation project, alongside ongoing reforms, was aimed at reducing cargo clearance time, eliminating documentation bottlenecks and improving operational efficiency at the nation’s seaports.
He added that the National Single Window project was about 80 per cent completed, with a dedicated office already established near the port to improve inter-agency coordination.
According to him, the digital platform will integrate banks, the Nigeria Customs Service, shipping companies and other government agencies to improve efficiency, plug revenue leakages and enhance revenue collection.
Mr Lawal expressed confidence that improved digitisation, reduced human interference and more efficient truck management would strengthen Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and enhance operations at the Apapa and Tin Can ports.
