The Nigeria Customs Service, Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited Command, has said it generated N44.06 bn in January 2026, surpassing the N40.50 bn recorded in January 2025 by N3.56 bn, representing an 8.8 per cent increase.
In a statement, the Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the Command, Joe Anani, disclosed this while handing over seized arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons. He commended compliant stakeholders for their continued cooperation, describing them as key partners in the command’s success. “In January 2026, the command generated N44.06 bn, surpassing the N40.50 bn recorded in January 2025 by N3.56 bn, representing an 8.8 per cent increase,” he said.
Speaking on the seized arms, the CAC explained that the contraband was intercepted on 25 different occasions during the examination of imported vehicles between 2022 and 2025, adding that the move reaffirmed its commitment to border security, trade facilitation, and inter-agency collaboration.
Anani stressed that the exercise underscored the Service’s zero tolerance for smuggling and its resolve to ensure that only legitimate trade thrives within Nigeria’s borders. He noted that the handover was carried out with the approval of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, under whose leadership the seizures were made.
“The items handed over included five pistols of different makes, one Crosman Pump Master rifle, 132 Remington live cartridges, 51 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition, four 9mm magazines, 40 rounds of assorted 9mm and blank/hollow ammunition, as well as 118 empty 9mm shells. The arms and ammunition were uncovered on 25 different occasions during the examination of imported vehicles between 2022 and 2025,” Anani disclosed.
He described the seizures as the outcome of sustained vigilance and collaboration with sister security agencies operating at the port. Anani stressed that the command remains a no-go area for unlawful trade under any guise.
The PTML Customs boss added that the command is firmly committed to the implementation of the Revised Kyoto Convention, a World Customs Organisation instrument aimed at balancing trade facilitation with effective regulatory control.
Anani also highlighted the impact of the Nigeria Customs Service Modernisation Project, noting that the deployment of the Unified Customs Management System, also known as ‘B’Odogwu, has significantly enhanced productivity at the Command. He disclosed that PTML would soon receive cargo scanners, which would further strengthen its capacity to detect concealment such as arms and ammunition.
“On behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, I hereby formally hand over these seizures to the NCCSALW for appropriate action,” Anani said. The seized arms were handed over to the South-West Zonal Coordinator, NCCSALW, CP Mustapha Abiodun Alamutu (Retd).
Illegal arms importation in Nigeria refers to the smuggling of small arms and light weapons into the country without authorisation. These weapons often enter through seaports, land borders, inland waterways, and unapproved routes, exploiting gaps in border security and port controls. The NCS plays a critical role in curbing illegal arms importation by strengthening cargo examination, intelligence gathering, and border surveillance across seaports, airports, and land borders.
