The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its fight against smuggling, intercepting various prohibited and harmful goods valued at ₦112,590,000 in recent operations across multiple border routes.
This was contained in a statement shared on the NCS’s Facebook page on Sunday.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, October 15, at the Customs House in Yola, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Garba Bashir, said the seizures were made within six weeks of sustained patrols and intelligence-led enforcement targeting key smuggling corridors in the region.
According to Bashir, the Command recorded 29 seizures, including 20,600 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) concealed in 824 jerrycans, 91 cartons of expired Tramadol capsules, 54 cartons of foreign soaps, and 64 pieces of raw donkey skins meant for illegal exportation.
He explained that the expired Tramadol, confiscated on August 30, 2025, in Mubi, posed a serious public health threat, warning that the spread of substandard drugs could trigger mass health crises and increase youth addiction rates.
“If these expired Tramadol capsules had found their way into circulation, they could have caused widespread harm, human capital deterioration, and unfair market competition,” Bashir said.
He disclosed that the drugs would be handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for proper destruction in accordance with Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
On the interception of 64 raw donkey skins, the Controller said the items were seized on September 30, 2025, at the Damare River Bank after smugglers attempted to ferry them across the waterways into Cameroon under the cover of night.
He stressed that the illegal trade, which violates Schedule 6 of the Export Prohibition List and Section 150 of the NCS Act 2023, threatens the survival of the donkey species.
“This seizure represents the slaughter of 64 donkeys. If this illicit trade continues unchecked, the species risks extinction,” he warned, noting that international demand — particularly from Asia — continues to drive the illegal trade.
Similarly, 54 cartons of foreign soap were intercepted along the same riverbank on October 3, 2025, at about 10:00 p.m., in violation of Schedule 3 of the CET (2022–2026) and Section 233 of the NCS Act 2023.
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The Customs boss also announced that the seized PMS would be auctioned publicly immediately after the briefing, with all proceeds remitted into the Federation Account in line with established procedures.
Bashir credited the Command’s success to close collaboration with sister security agencies, border communities, and Customs intelligence units, emphasizing that continuous engagement with residents has helped dismantle smuggling networks.
He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for providing strategic leadership and operational support, and appreciated the media for their balanced coverage of anti-smuggling activities.
“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,” he declared.
Bashir reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders, boosting revenue generation, and ensuring national security through sustained anti-smuggling operations.