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“Don’t take my friendly disposition for weakness”  Adeniyi, CGC, bares his fangs as he charges officers to brace up and ready to account for their actions.

Funso Olojo
Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, has sent a strong message to men and officers of the agency, bonded terminal operators, terminal operators, shipping companies, importers and their agents that it was not going to be business as usual under his leadership.
He warned that his benign and smiling face should not be misconstrued as a weakness as he was going to trace and track down all the merchants of death and their collaborators who were bringing in arms and ammunition and other illicit items into the country.
Adeniyi, who was on a visit to the Apapa command of the service on Thursday, July 4th, 2023, was speaking to the officers of the command about the need to be security conscious, remain vigilant and abide by the tenets of their oath they swore not to be compromised in the course of their duties.
The CGC was speaking against the backdrop of the recent avalanche of seizures of arms and ammunition at Tin Can, Onne ports and lately, Lagos Airport which has become a source of concern to the the management of customs.
Devoid of his trademark smiles and friendly banters, and in a resonating voice, Adeniyi kept his men and officers spellbound as he admonished them on the need to be professionally upright in their duties and be ready to be accountable for their actions.
“Since the beginning of this year, I am sure you must have known or heard about a customs officer or his family that was kidnapped.
“I am sure you must have heard or known a colleague or a family member of a customs officer that has been a victim of a terrorist attack, either in the North East, in the North West, or in the South”.
“So customs officers are not isolated from what is happening in the rest of the country.
” I just wanted to use those instances to draw your attention to the fact that we live in a very, very dire situation in the country”
“Unfortunately, the responsibility of making it better lies in the hands of all of us”.
“The responsibility of correcting this anomaly lies in our action or inaction”
 “You are following the developments. What happened yesterday( Wednesday at Lagos Airport).
“At the airport, with the seizure of arms and military accouterments, before last week, before the one of yesterday, there was a big incident that happened in Onne”.
“And they are going through our hands.
”  Declarations that are made by these people who go through our desk. They are inside our system”,
“What it means is that we have an onerous response. And we also have an onerous responsibility to address the national security emergency that we face in Nigeria”.
“What the trend has shown is that they are desperate, they have a network of support, they have people who conspired with them, some of them within the service, some of them outside the service”,
“And we have a responsibility not to allow them to bring those death niche merchandise into Nigeria. Of course, you know that they come in different forms.
“It’s either that they are wrongly declared, or they come to compromise our process and procedure.
“And the most important one is the fact that goods that are supposed to be scanned, or those that are supposed to undergo a physical examination, are not subjected to it”
“So, these goods are released, they are not scanned, or they are never inspected. That’s one way of doing it.
“The other one is when we say that they are going on Transire to 100 terminals, and they never get there.
“That customs officer, who would be the victim of kidnapping, who would be the victim of terrorist attack, that family that might be facing this kind of problem, might be yours or mine if we decide to abuse the oath of office that we swore to uphold. So, it’s all up to you.
Then he warned his officers of the consequences of their actions and inaction which he said could be dire.
“But the bad news for all of you is that we work with a system that has track and trace.
“What each and all of you do with our system can be tracked. It can be tracked. It can be traced. We can attribute them to you in the next seven years or beyond.
“What you do not do can also be attributed to you. So, either way, we can be located and we can be called upon to account for our actions or inaction.
“So, I therefore urge you to lead to your responsibility. This nation is ours. Revenue is important. Trade facilitation is important. We are getting it right on those ends”
“We must not fail on our mandate of national security. There are containers of fake drugs that are waiting to come out of the port as I speak.
“There are containers of arms and ammunition that are there. There are containers of frozen poultry products under import prohibition that are there as we are speaking”, he said.
“And we have all the risk indicators. To show them to us.
“We have everything it takes to trace the importers, to do system audits on our own, and put question marks on some of them”
 “So, the responsibility lies with all of us to live up to the oath of service, the oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Then the clincher
“If anybody is caught on the wrong side of the law, if anybody is traced to these activities if any bonded warehouse owner is traced, if any customs agent is traced to it, we will not spare anybody. We will not spare anybody”.
He warned them not to abuse his friendly disposition as this could be fatal because he has the capacity to bite
“Those of you who know the Yoruba proverb, because people say I smile too much, that I am too friendly, that I am too soft, and I am happy to be given all of that.
“But those who do not understand Yoruba should go and hire a consultant to translate the meaning of Eyin ta finbomo rerin naaa lafin geje”.( The same teeth we use to laugh with children are the same we use to bite them)
“I wish you a nice day. Thank you”, he concluded with a deadpan expression.
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Customs

KLT Customs reaffirms commitment to stronger maritime stakeholder engagement

Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Adigun

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter
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‎The Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Adigun, has reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to deepening engagement with stakeholders across the maritime industry in line with efforts to promote trade facilitation, transparency, and sustainable economic growth.
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‎Adigun gave the assurance through the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Administration, Comptroller T.A. Jonah, who represented him during a courtesy visit by the newly elected Executive Committee of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) to the Command in Lagos.
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‎The Acting CAC, who was unavoidably absent, underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and key industry stakeholders, particularly the maritime media, in advancing the Service’s mandate and supporting national economic development.
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‎He described the media as a critical partner in disseminating information on government policies, customs reforms, trade facilitation initiatives, revenue generation, and anti-smuggling operations.
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‎According to him, maritime journalists occupy a strategic position in shaping public understanding and perception of activities within the port and maritime sector, stressing the need for professionalism, accuracy, and balanced reportage in the discharge of their duties.
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‎Adigun further assured the MARAN delegation that the KLT Area Command would continue to operate an open-door policy while fostering cordial and productive relationships with stakeholders within the maritime community.
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‎Earlier in his remarks, the President of MARAN, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, stated that the visit formed part of the association’s ongoing stakeholder engagement initiative following the inauguration of its newly elected executive committee.
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‎Onigbinde explained that the purpose of the visit was to formally introduce the new leadership of the association to the Command and strengthen the longstanding relationship between MARAN and the Nigeria Customs Service.
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‎He commended the KLT Area Command for its contributions to trade facilitation, revenue generation, and enforcement activities, describing the Command as a vital component of Customs operations within Nigeria’s port system.
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‎The MARAN President also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to professional, objective, and development-driven journalism, noting that maritime reporters play a significant role in promoting informed discourse on issues affecting the industry.
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‎He further assured the Command of MARAN’s continued support for initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness within Nigeria’s maritime sector through responsible and factual reporting.

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Customs

“You are worthy ambassador of Osun State” Oni of Ife eulogies Adeniyi’s leadership of Customs 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi II, has eulogized the sterling qualities of Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller- General of Customs, for his revolutionary leadership of the Nigeria Customs  Service.
The  first class Yoruba monarch made the commendation on Thursday, 28th May 2026, during the annual Eid-el-Kabir gathering hosted by the Comptroller-General at his residence in Modakeke, Osun State.
The Oni, who cited President Bola Tinubu’s public commendation of Adeniyi as evidence of the confidence reposed in the Customs boss, described him as a good ambassador of Osun State and a source of pride to the ancient Ife Kingdom and the Modakeke community.
Oba Ogunwusi said President Tinubu’s public expression of satisfaction with Adeniyi’s performance reflected confidence in his leadership and the results being achieved by the Service.
“We are very proud of him and the work he is doing. When Mr President publicly expressed satisfaction with his performance, it was not a casual statement.
” It reflects trust in his capacity and the results he is delivering. What he is doing in the Customs Service and in the community shows that he is a unifier.”
Reaffirming the support of the Ife Kingdom for the Comptroller-General, the monarch declared:
“He brings people together, and that is what leadership is about. We will continue to stand by him and pray for him.”
Addressing guests, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the Ooni of Ife, community leaders, family members, friends, associates, and well-wishers for their continued support.
He described Eid-el-Kabir as a season that reminds humanity of the virtues of sacrifice, gratitude, obedience, and service to others.
According to him, beyond the celebration, the gathering provides an opportunity to reconnect with people, strengthen relationships, and reflect on the collective responsibility of building stronger communities and a better nation.
The CGC noted that the NCS has continued to record significant progress in revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling operations, technological innovation, and corporate social responsibility initiatives in line with the economic objectives of the Federal Government.
He said the Service remains focused on supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu through reforms aimed at facilitating legitimate trade, enhancing national security, improving compliance, and creating opportunities for economic growth.
CGC Adeniyi added that Customs has continued to invest in community-focused interventions across the country, including educational support programmes, healthcare initiatives, and other projects designed to improve the lives of Nigerians.
He pledged that the Service would continue to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening its operations and delivering greater value to the nation, while assuring stakeholders of Customs’ commitment to professionalism, transparency, and service excellence.
Adeniyi also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country and assured Nigerians of the Service’s continued support for government policies geared towards economic prosperity and national development.
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Customs

World Bank strengthens Customs capacity in post clearance Audit in two- week capacity building exercise

Gloria Odion,  maritime reporter 
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) in collaboration with the World Bank Group under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, aimed at strengthening compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.
The workshop, which runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026, is taking place at the Service’s  Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General , Babatunde Olomu, described the mission as a significant step in advancing the Service’s modernisation agenda and strengthening its capacity as a technology-driven, intelligence-led, and globally competitive customs administration.
He noted that modern customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence-led, risk-based, and post-clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.
According to him, the mission offers an opportunity to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices, and develop practical solutions to strengthen the Post Clearance Audit framework.
Olomu identified risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation, and integrated audit systems as key areas of focus.
He emphasised that effective Post Clearance Audit enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a strategic compliance management approach that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency, and boosts public confidence.
“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices, and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system.” he stated.
The ACG commended the Comptroller-General for his commitment to modernisation and capacity building and also appreciated the World Bank and other development partners for their sustained support for Customs reforms.
He urged participants to actively engage throughout the programme and ensure that lessons learned are translated into measurable improvements in daily operations.
Speaking at the event, World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission is designed to strengthen the capacity of Post Clearance Audit officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools, and internationally recognised methodologies.
He explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques, and compliance management strategies that can be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.
Kajubi stressed the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems, and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring, and trade facilitation outcomes.
“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations.”He stated.
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He expressed confidence that the engagement would strengthen institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Customs Service’s modernisation objectives.
Lead Consultant for the ARMOR-P, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission seeks to enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue, and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post Clearance Audit.
He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms, and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to improve accountability and operational efficiency.
Dutt also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology-driven solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.
During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad  Jubril, demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, explaining how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonised Commodity codes and other risk indicators.
In his closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima encouraged participants to maximise the opportunities provided by the workshop and apply the knowledge gained to achieve the strategic objectives of the NCS.
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