By Okey Iroegbu
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Seme Border Command of Nigeria Customs Service had a change of leadership as the erstwhile Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga exited the command, handing over the mantle of leadership to Comptroller Shuaibu Kaila. It could be noted in retrospect that the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone 'A', on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, decorated 239 senior officers recently elevated to higher ranks at a colourful ceremony held at the Customs Training College, Lagos. The Zonal Coordinator, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, described the mass promotion as a reward for
diligence, discipline, and integrity, crediting it to the visionary leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD. It could be noted that the Zonal Coordinator himself and Comptroller
Shuibu Kaila are also beneficiaries of the recent promotion windfall. Comptroller Kaila Shuibu might look invincible to many of the maritime media practitioners for now
because of his former areas of operation. He cut his professional teeth in anti smuggling war under retired Comptroller Gidado Mahmud who was then an Assistant Comptroller and Officer-in-charge at the restive Gbaji Bridge checkpoint under Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone 'A', Ikeja. Gidado made his debut in taming the restive youths and smugglers at this notorious
Gbaji Bridge some years ago and cannot be forgotten in a hurry. At Gbaji where he worked closely with the then CSC Shuibu Kaila now a Comptroller who was before now sighted at Eleme, Rivers State under Zone 'C' of
National border Drill, gave these smugglers bleeding nose. The then CSC Kaila‘s air tight operation at Gbaji Bridge has remained in the annals of the unfortunate smugglers at that period. Working as the OC Operations under Gidado tamed the restiveness of the notorious Gbaji Bridge Boys at Seme/Lagos Expressway.
Anti smuggling operations took him throughout the Southwestern zone where the heat on smuggling was very pre-eminent for some obvious reasons. Smuggling in rice has been the major area of concentration at this zone. In the recent time, this is in return with the anti bunkering of subsidized refined fuel from Nigeria into neighbouring countries to assist their economy. This was the era of smuggling in foreign parboiled rice in very large quantity of this prohibited item in large wooden boats. Another product that was trending is Frozen Poultry products which were coming from the seaport at Cotonou, Benin Republic. It was unfortunate that these products are not in demand in Benin Republic which schooled their citizens on the dangers of consuming these products. They selfishly import and encourage the smugglers to ferry these products to the available markets in Nigeria. The battle at Gbaji was so notorious that these economic saboteurs employed every means to ferry in their illicit products. They apply voodoo with charms even to harm the officers. When such is not working for them, they resort to arms and go into open gun battle with these trained officers. The end definitely left many of them wounded or even dead. After the series of battles to calm the smugglers who normally use unapproved routes from Owode Apa and Seme Krake axis, he was redeployed to other areas of Nigeria Customs Service commands, among which was a remarkable service at the Zone ‘C’ National Border Drill, Port Harcourt, Rivers state where he made waves. He was also spotted at Tincan Island Port; Lagos doing what he knows how to do best. Comptroller Kaila was second-in-command to the then Coordinator of Comptroller General of Customs CGC Strike Force in Zone ‘A’, Lagos before it was disbanded. A deal was made on the entry of an emerging Tiger in the anti smuggling crusade of Nigeria Customs Service by the appointment of Comptroller Kaila as the Customs Area Controller of Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone 'D' Bauchi. The information reaching this media confirmed that following the retirement of Comptroller Abubakar Lawal Umar, the mantle of leadership of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone D of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was handed over to him. The new Controller of the Unit promised a tougher period for smugglers and other perpetrators of unlawful activities within his area of responsibility. Comptroller Kaila, who said this during a brief handover ceremony at the unit’s headquarters, said smugglers are enemies of the country who do not mean well for the generality of Nigerians. Aside evading duty payment, which compromises the nation’s revenue, he blamed smugglers for trading in unregulated items like counterfeit medication, unwholesome drugs, expired food and other products without the necessary statutory approvals from designated government agencies. Comptroller Kaila also advised members of the trading community to shun all forms of illegality while urging them to feel free to visit the command for enlightenment on government import and export guidelines as ignorance of the law will not be accepted as an excuse during enforcement. His emergence as a new anti-smuggling Czar in the Northern Zone of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone 'D' Bauchi changed a lot of narrative on the fight against economic sabotage at this zone. Barely two weeks after his emergence, Comptroller Kaila vowed to vehemently fight smugglers within the 9 states of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) at Zone ‘D’ of the Nigeria Customs Service. He has recorded major breakthrough in its anti-smuggling campaign, with seizures valued at ₦82.1 million between December 8 and 19, 2025. Comptroller Kaila reiterated that upon assumption of office, he warned the smugglers to keep off. The above success was therefore recorded within the short period following his assumption of office. He said the success of the operation was achieved following a series of coordinated anti-smuggling operations carried out between December 8 and 19, 2025. The operations led to the interception of prohibited and contraband goods with a cumulative duty paid value of N82,114,567, underscoring the Unit’s intensified enforcement posture. He noted that the relatively low cases of smuggling recorded, especially in wildlife products, controlled drugs, narcotics and PMS, were the result of intensified patrols,
intelligence led operations, and the professionalism of officers and men of the unit. He added that the unit has strengthened its operations through improved collaboration with other security and regulatory agencies, enabling effective intelligence sharing and joint operations to dismantle smuggling networks across the zone. Comptroller Kaila warned traders to desist from illegal activities, assuring that the unit would not rest until smuggling is reduced to the barest minimum, while also pledging to intensify public sensitization and media engagement to raise awareness of the economic dangers of smuggling. He commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR PhD and his management team for their support, the officers of FOU Zone ‘D’ Bauchi and the media for their commitment, and reaffirming the unit’s dedication to border security, national development and economic growth. He did not relent in his effort to tidy the Zone 'D' of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service. It was reported that the command has intercepted smuggled goods valued at ₦229,422,669 in Bauchi State, in a major anti smuggling operation carried out on January 23rd, 2026. Speaking during a press briefing, the then Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Kaila, said the operation, which spanned over three weeks, was driven by credible intelligence and meticulous monitoring of suspected smuggling routes. The effort culminated in the interception of several prohibited and contraband goods believed to have entered the country through illegal routes. According to this emerging anti smuggling Czar, the items seized during the operation included one Toyota Urban Cruiser (2026 model), two Toyota Acura Cross vehicles (2025 models), a Citroën Jumper bus, and a Peugeot Boxer, which were used as means of conveyance. Other items recovered were 14,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 283 pieces of fresh donkey skin, 102 sacks of dried donkey meat, and several bales and sacks of second hand clothing. Comptroller Kaila noted that the seizures underscored the importance of intelligence driven enforcement and inter-agency collaboration in combating smuggling. He commended the officers and men of the Unit, particularly those in Zondi and Bochi, for their dedication and professionalism in curbing illicit trade along border corridors and inland routes. He warned that smuggling poses serious threats to local industries, public health, and national economic stability, stressing that it undermines legitimate businesses and deprives the government of vital revenue needed for development.
The Customs boss urged members of the public and stakeholders to support the agency by providing credible information and cooperating with security agencies to stem the tide of illegal trade. Comptroller Kaila further handed the seized donkey skins and meat over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) for further investigation and disposal in line with established regulations, while investigations were ongoing to apprehend those behind the smuggling network. At all situation, Comptroller Kaila expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD, and his management team for their leadership acumen and continuous support to the Service, assuring that the backing would be justified through intensified revenue generation and enforcement activities.
