The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, says it intercepted various smuggled goods with a duty-paid value (DPV) of N1.1 billion between January 1 and March 10, 2026.

The command’s acting area controller, Deputy Comptroller Usman Umar-Adamu, disclosed this at his maiden press briefing on Tuesday at the Customs House, Bompai, Kano.

He said the seizures were carried out through intelligence-driven operations, coordinated patrols, and strategic surveillance along major routes and border corridors in Kano and Jigawa.

Mr Umar-Adamu said the operations were aimed at protecting Nigeria’s economy, safeguarding public health, and preventing illicit cross-border trade.

“Within the period under review, the command recorded detentions and seizures of nine major items with a total DPV of N1.1 billion,” he said.

The controller noted that the command intercepted foreign currencies, including $106,500, 134,256 Saudi riyals, 28 Chinese yuan, and 20 Ghanaian cedis, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on January 5.

He added that 1,447 pieces of smuggled used pneumatic tyres, valued at N28.2 million, were seized on January 14 in the Yan Awaki area of the Eastern Bypass in Kano.

Mr Umar-Adamu said two smuggled Dong Feng vehicles intercepted along the Kano–Hadejia and Maiduguri roads were found to have concealed six silver metal bars weighing 12.2 kilogrammes, with a DPV of N61 million.

He said another passenger was later intercepted with 22.8 kilogrammes of undeclared silver metal bars concealed in baggage.

The controller said the suspects, currencies and precious metals were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

He further said operatives intercepted a bus conveying 35 bales of second-hand clothing valued at N17.5 million and 10 kegs of foreign vegetable oil along the Babura axis in Jigawa.

Mr Umar-Adamu also disclosed that 503 master cartons of Pregabalin 300mg capsules, suspected to be fake and unregistered with NAFDAC, were intercepted at the airport.

He said the consignment, totalling over 15 million tablets valued at N729.9 million, had been handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Mr Umar-Adamu added that the command also intercepted wildlife items, including a lion cub and pangolins.

Meanwhile, the controller handed over the seized pharmaceutical products to NAFDAC for further investigation.

Mr Umar-Adamu also handed over the live pangolin to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

Responding, NAFDAC director-general Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Martins Iluyomade, commended Customs for the collaboration in combating counterfeit medicines.

Adeyeye said the seizure of more than 15 million capsules of Pregabalin had prevented dangerous drugs from reaching the Nigerian market. 

(NAN)