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PTML Customs Chief reaffirms support for COWA as Nabila Nura Miko assumes office as chairperson

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Customs Area Controller of the Ports Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command, Deputy Comptroller N.I. Miko, has reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to supporting the new leadership of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA), PTML Chapter, in achieving its objectives.

Deputy Comptroller Miko made the pledge on Thursday, June 18th, 2026, during the official handover ceremony of the association’s leadership at the PTML Customs Command.

At the event, Hajiya Nabila Nura Miko formally assumed office as Chairperson of the PTML Chapter of COWA, succeeding Mrs. Ifeoluwa Anani.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Customs Area Controller described the occasion as more than a mere leadership transition, noting that it symbolized continuity, service, and the enduring contributions of Customs officers’ spouses to the Nigeria Customs Service family.

He commended the immediate past Chairperson, Mrs. Ifeoluwa Anani, for her exemplary leadership and the successful execution of impactful projects during her tenure.

According to him, the achievements recorded under her administration strengthened the association and positively impacted members as well as the wider Customs community.

Beyond infrastructural and welfare initiatives, Deputy Comptroller Miko highlighted COWA’s critical role in fostering stability on the home front, thereby enabling Customs officers to effectively discharge their statutory responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling operations.

“While officers are engaged in the discharge of their official duties, COWA members ensure that our homes remain stable, peaceful, and productive.

“A stable home is the foundation of effective service delivery, and for this invaluable contribution, we remain profoundly grateful,” he stated.

Congratulating Hajiya Nabila Nura Miko on her assumption of office, the Controller expressed confidence in her ability to build upon the achievements of her predecessor and lead the association to greater accomplishments.

He further assured the association of the Command’s readiness to provide the necessary assistance within its capacity, including logistical, operational, and moral support, to facilitate the successful implementation of its programmes and initiatives.

In her acceptance remarks, the new Chairperson, Hajiya Nabila Nura Miko, expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to serve, describing her appointment as both an honour and a responsibility.

She paid glowing tribute to the National President of COWA, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, commending her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the growth and development of the association nationwide.

According to her, Mrs. Adeniyi’s guidance and dedication have continued to inspire members and strengthen COWA’s role as a platform for empowerment, welfare support, and impactful community engagement.

Hajiya Miko also acknowledged the contributions of her predecessor, noting that her tenure was marked by dedication, integrity, and remarkable achievements that significantly strengthened the PTML Chapter.

“I am committed to consolidating on the successes of the previous administration while introducing new initiatives that will further promote the objectives of COWA and enhance the welfare of Customs officers’ wives,” she said.

Highlighting some of the notable programmes undertaken by the chapter in recent years, she cited the International Women’s Day Celebration, the COWA Healthy Wife, Wealthy Life Sensitisation Workshop, Breast Cancer Awareness Campaigns, End-of-Year Outreach Programmes, participation in the Green Border Initiative School Adoption Programme, and Environmental Sensitisation Lectures.

She described these initiatives as evidence of the chapter’s commitment to social impact and member development, adding that they provide a strong foundation for future growth.

Outlining her administration’s agenda, Hajiya Miko said the chapter would focus on three strategic pillars: welfare, through strengthened support systems for members and their families; empowerment, through expanded skills acquisition and economic development programmes; and community service, through sustained interventions in health, education, and environmental sustainability.

She called for the continued support, cooperation, and prayers of COWA members, PTML Command management, and other stakeholders, emphasizing that collective effort would be essential to achieving the chapter’s goals and advancing the association’s mission.

Customs

Customs, American Business Council strengthen strategic partnership to advance trade facilitation.

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the American Business Council (ABC) have reinforced their commitment to fostering stronger trade relations and resolving operational challenges affecting businesses through sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors.

This commitment was reaffirmed during a quarterly stakeholder engagement held on  June 16th, 2026 at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja,where both parties deliberated on measures to enhance trade facilitation,strengthen supply chain security, and deepen economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

Addressing participants at the meeting, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the value of continuous stakeholder engagement, describing it as a critical driver of effective policy implementation and improved service delivery.

He disclosed that the engagement would be institutionalised as a regular feature of the Service’s operational calendar.

“It is our intention to institutionalize this engagement as a permanent feature of the Customs calendar because of the importance we attach to this kind of interaction,” Adeniyi stated.

The CGC also provided updates on several key trade facilitation initiatives being implemented by the Service, including the Advance Ruling System, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, Post Clearance Audit mechanisms, the B’Odogwu platform,as well as ongoing enhancements in scanning integration and cargo clearance processes designed to improve efficiency, transparency, and compliance.

Representatives of the American Business Council commended the reforms introduced by the Service and acknowledged the positive impact of the ongoing modernisation efforts.

They also advocated for faster resolution mechanisms to address lingering business concerns and further improve the operating environment for investors.

Speaking on behalf of the Council, ABC President, Nneka Enwereji, described the engagement as highly productive and lauded the Customs leadership for its proactive approach to facilitating trade and improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

“This session has been exceptional and clearly reflects your commitment to improving the ease of doing business.

“The Service has set a commendable standard, and there is much that can be learned from these initiatives,” she said.

The meeting further underscored the shared commitment of both organisations to strengthening dialogue, enhancing trade efficiency, and creating a more conducive environment for economic growth and investment

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Customs

Apapa Customs leads intelligence – based operation to intercept 1.8tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, N12.8b worth of expired pharmaceuticals products

Funso OLOJO, Editor
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has led an intelligence- led operation in conjunction with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Monday, 15th June, 2026, to intercept a 40FT container with number CAAU7569127 conveying a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as “Canadian.
According to the Apapa Customs command, the operation led to the recovery of 3,639 sachets of the illicit substance, with each sachet weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight to approximately 1,819 kilograms (1.81 tonnes).
Preliminary field tests conducted on the substance returned positive results for Cannabis Sativa.
The drugs were cleverly concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, along with several bags and drums loaded inside the container.
The interception highlights the Command’s enhanced capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks attempting to exploit Nigeria’s maritime entry points.
The examination was carried out in collaboration with key security and regulatory agencies.
In a related development, the Command intercepted 2 x 40FT containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.
Physical examination revealed that the pharmaceutical products have varied expiry date of 2021, 2022 and 2023 which the importers planned to relabel  and reintroduce into the Nigerian market, posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers.
The 1 x 40FT with number PCIU8771576 contained expired pharmaceuticals including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection.
While, 1 x 40FT container with number MRKU4961275 contained various expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets, Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.
The seized items have a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.8 billion .
The substantial seizure highlights the scale of the attempted economic sabotage and underscores the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting national security, public health and the Nigerian economy through intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
Commenting on the seizures, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba warned that “unpatriotic importers and their collaborators who deliberately engage in smuggling, drug trafficking and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals are enemies of Nigeria’s progress.
“We have the intelligence, the technology and the resolve to identify and apprehend them.
“Anyone still contemplating these criminal acts should immediately desist, because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising.
“Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and public health endangerment.”
Comptroller Oshoba further warned that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance.
The CAC reassured all Nigerians of the Command’s commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations to protect lives, secure legitimate trade and uphold national security.
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Customs

Customs Zone ‘C’ Intercepts Smuggled Vegetable Oil Worth N403.5 Million

Funso OLOJO, Editor

 

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a major anti-smuggling success with the interception of a large consignment of smuggled foreign vegetable oil valued at over N403.5 million.

The seizure followed strategic intelligence gathering and coordinated operations by officers of the Unit, leading to the interception of two trailers conveying the prohibited products.

Items seized include:
3,310 jerry cans (25-litre kegs) of Super Delicious vegetable oil;
10 jerry cans (10-litre kegs) of Super Delicious vegetable oil;
20 cartons of 5-litre sunflower vegetable oil; and
20 cartons of 3-litre sunflower vegetable oil.

According to the Unit, operatives intercepted one of the trucks carrying the consignment at about 10:00 p.m. on May 9, 2026, along the Ninth Mile axis of Enugu State, while the second truck was intercepted on June 7, 2026, along the Onitsha–Agbor Highway, following credible intelligence.

The Command disclosed that the seized goods have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N403,491,000.
Speaking on the seizure, the Controller of FOU Zone ‘C’, Bashir Balogun, described the operation as a significant blow to economic saboteurs whose activities undermine local industries and the nation’s economy.

He noted that the illegal importation of foreign vegetable oil negatively affects domestic production, technology transfer, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.

Balogun emphasized that the operation demonstrates the Service’s unwavering commitment to enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2022 and the Federal Government’s fiscal and protective policies prohibiting the importation of foreign vegetable oil.

He warned individuals and syndicates involved in smuggling to desist from such activities, stressing that the Nigeria Customs Service would continue to deploy intelligence-driven enforcement strategies to safeguard public health, national security, and the domestic economy.

The seized vegetable oil remains in the custody of the Service while investigations into the smuggling network continue.

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