The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted and seized 20 diverted transit containers worth a total of ₦769,533,666 in duty paid value along the Kano and Jigawa corridor, the agency has said. The seizures were made as part of intelligence-led operations conducted between the second and fourth quarters of 2025 to stop cargo diversion and protect government revenue.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the development at a press briefing in Kano. He said the actions were aimed at dismantling organised syndicates that divert goods intended for bonded terminals, free trade zones and other approved destinations. Adeniyi described cargo diversion as a serious offence that reduces government income, damages Nigeria’s image in international trade and undermines national security.
Officials found that the containers, which should have been transported to inland commercial facilities under customs supervision, had been rerouted to private warehouses and markets in breach of the Nigeria Customs Service Act. Among the goods recovered were vitrified tiles diverted from the Kano Free Trade Zone with a duty paid value of about ₦228.6 million, diesel engine oil, polyester materials, used clothing, printed and lace fabrics, medical consumables and Zamzam bottled water. Some of these items are classified as prohibited imports under the Common External Tariff regulations.
Adeniyi said that one container remains under detention while legal procedures continue. However, two containers carrying medical consumables have already been forfeited to the Federal Government following a ruling by the Federal High Court in Kano on 10 December 2025.
In a separate development linked to the enforcement campaign, customs officers successfully prosecuted a suspect, identified as Abdulrahman Sani Adam, for the offence of container diversion. Adam was sentenced by the Federal High Court in Kano to three years’ imprisonment, with an option to pay a ₦3 million fine. Adeniyi said the sentence should serve as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to engage in similar activities.
To prevent future diversions and improve monitoring of transit cargo, the Nigeria Customs Service is rolling out electronic tracking devices across its operational areas. These devices will allow real-time tracking of containers from the point of clearance at ports to their designated inland destinations and will alert authorities if there are attempts to tamper with or divert the cargo.
Adeniyi stressed that the customs service remains committed to facilitating legitimate trade while enforcing laws designed to protect the nation’s revenue and secure its borders. He warned that smugglers, their collaborators and any officials found to be complicit in diversion schemes will face prosecution, forfeiture of goods and loss of trading privileges.
Importers, freight agents and logistics operators were urged to follow approved transit procedures closely and report any suspicious activity to the nearest customs office. Adeniyi said strict compliance with regulations is essential to sustain confidence in Nigeria’s trade system and to support economic growth.
