The Nigeria Customs Service has stated that it intercepted 20 diverted transit containers with a total duty-paid value of N769.5m across the Kano/Jigawa Area Command Axis.
In a statement on Sunday, the National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, explained that the interception followed an intelligence-driven enforcement operation aimed at curbing cargo diversion and safeguarding government revenue.
According to the statement, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the development during a press briefing held in Kano on Friday.
Adeniyi stated that the seizures, which occurred between the second and fourth quarters of 2025, were part of the service’s sustained efforts to detect and dismantle organised cargo diversion networks.
According to the CGC, cargo diversion poses a serious threat to national revenue, security, and Nigeria’s credibility within the global trading system.
“The NCS has intercepted 20 diverted transit containers with a total duty-paid value of N769.5m across the Kano/Jigawa Area Command axis. Cargo diversion is a grave offence that undermines government revenue, compromises national security, and damages Nigeria’s standing in international commerce. The NCS will not hesitate to deploy all lawful measures to detect, deter, and punish offenders,” he stated.
He also confirmed the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of Abdulrahman Sani Adam for the offence of container diversion. The offender was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a N3m fine, a development Adeniyi described as a strong deterrent against future violations.
He emphasised that the seized containers were found to contain various items, “including vitrified tiles unlawfully diverted from the Kano Free Trade Zone with a DPV of N228.6m, diesel engine oil, polyester materials, used clothing, printed and lace fabrics, medical consumables, and Zamzam bottled water. Some of the items are classified as prohibited imports under the Common External Tariff Regulations.”
The NCS boss further disclosed that while one container remains under detention pending the conclusion of legal processes, two containers of medical consumables were forfeited to the Federal Government following a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Kano Division, on 10 December 2025.
To further strengthen transit cargo monitoring, the Comptroller-General announced the near-nationwide deployment of electronic container tracking devices.
Adeniyi noted that the system enables real-time monitoring, route compliance, and tamper alerts from ports to inland destinations.
The CGC reaffirmed the service’s commitment to trade facilitation, revenue protection, and border security, warning that smugglers and their collaborators will face prosecution, forfeiture, and loss of trading privileges.
He urged importers, agents, and logistics operators to adhere strictly to approved transit procedures and to report any suspicious activities to the nearest customs office.
Cargo diversion is a type of supply-chain crime in which goods are intentionally redirected, stolen, or misdelivered while being transported from a seller to a buyer. Instead of reaching the intended destination, the cargo ends up elsewhere, often to be sold illegally. It is most common in road freight (trucks) but can also occur in rail, sea, and air transport.
