Customs officials during a briefing
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 20 diverted transit containers valued at ₦769.5 million across the Kano and Jigawa corridor, dealing a major blow to cargo diversion networks in northern Nigeria.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the seizures followed intelligence-led operations carried out in the second and fourth quarters of the year. He described cargo diversion as a serious economic crime that harms government revenue, national security, and Nigeria’s trade image.
Among the seized items were vitrified tiles diverted from the Kano Free Trade Zone, used clothing, fabrics, diesel engine oil, medical supplies, and bottled Zamzam water. Customs said some of the goods are prohibited under trade regulations.
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Adeniyi confirmed that two containers of medical consumables were forfeited to the Federal Government after a Federal High Court ruling in Kano on 10 December 2025. One suspect, Abdulrahman Sani Adam, was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison with an option of a ₦3 million fine.
The Service warned that offenders will face prosecution, seizure of goods, and loss of trading privileges.
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