COMPTROLLER KAILA LED SEME BORDER COMMAND GENERATES ₦9.79bn REVENUE IN THREE MONTHS

Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, the Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Area Command of  Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is not leaving any stone unturned in his new place of deployment. An emerging anti-smuggling Czar, has announced the generation of ₦9.79 billion as revenue between March and May 2026, representing a 448 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2025 in his maiden press briefing. According to him, the briefing was convened to provide an "overview of the Command’s operational activities and achievements in the areas of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling enforcement since my assumption of office in March 2026. "These operational pillars remain central to the statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and are aligned with the economic reform agenda and national development priorities of the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Speaking during the media briefing held on Monday, May 5, 2026 at the Seme Area Command Headquarters, the Customs Area Controller, disclosed that the Command generated a total of ₦9,798,938,969 within the review period. According to him, the figure exceeded the ₦2,188,405,749 collected during the same period in 2025 by ₦7,610,533,220. "The figure translates to an impressive growth rate of 448 percent. This remarkable achievement is attributable to strengthened compliance mechanisms, improved stakeholder cooperation, intensified anti-revenue leakage measures, enhanced operational efficiency, and the strategic deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System. The renewed dedication, vigilance demonstrated by officers and men of the Command have also contributed immensely to this performance. He further commended officers and men of the Command for their dedication and vigilance, stressing that the Command would sustain the gains through intelligence-driven monitoring, institutional reforms, and transparent trade procedures. The Customs boss described the Seme border corridor as one of Nigeria’s busiest and most strategic land borders, playing a critical role in regional trade integration

under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He explained that the Command had intensified engagements with licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, transport unions, importers, exporters, traditional institutions, and sister security agencies to improve trade facilitation and address operational bottlenecks. “Our officers continue to provide guidance and support to Small and Medium Enterprises seeking access to regional and international markets, particularly in export documentation and regulatory compliance processes,” he stated. On anti-smuggling operations, Kaila said the Command recorded major breakthroughs through intelligence-led operations conducted along the Seme-Badagry corridor and adjoining routes. "In the area of anti-smuggling operations, the Command has sustained aggressive intelligence-led enforcement activities aimed at combating economic sabotage, protecting local industries, and safeguarding public health and national security. Within the last two months, coordinated patrols and surveillance operations conducted along the Seme-Badagry corridor and adjoining routes resulted in the interception of several prohibited and restricted items. "Notably, the Command seized 1000 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic substance prohibited under the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and Section 245(1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. The seized narcotics are currently being processed for formal handover to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.