From left: Outgoing Comptroller Gambo Aliyu and Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni.

Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni has taken over the helms of affairs at the Federal Operations Unit FOU, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja-Lagos, of the Nigeria Customs Service, from the outgoing head of the Unit, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, who retired after 35 years of meritorious service.

Speaking at a brief handover ceremony that took place on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Afeni, who was appointed on an acting capacity, pledged to provide purposeful, professional and accountable leadership at the Unit with a view to advancing the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

He expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and the management of the Service for the confidence reposed in him, promising to build on the operational foundation inherited from his predecessor.

He also pledged to strengthen intelligence-led enforcement, blockage of revenue leakages and advance the country’s economic and security interests.

“Enforcement operations under my watch at the Unit would remain firm, lawful and respectful of human dignity, while legitimate trade would be facilitated through constructive engagement with traders, manufacturers, importers, exporters, customs brokers and other stakeholders”, Afeni assured.

He also called for stronger collaboration with sister security and law-enforcement agencies to tackle trans-border crimes, particularly the illicit movement of drugs, arms, currencies, counterfeit goods and other prohibited items.

According to him, the Unit under his watch prioritise officers’ welfare, professional development and institutional discipline, while encouraging regular sporting activities to promote physical fitness, teamwork and work-life balance.

Meanwhile, the outgoing Comptroller, Gambo Aliyu, while speaking at the event, described it as a formal transfer of leadership while reflecting on the responsibilities and challenges associated with the headship of FOU Zone ‘A’.

In what appeared a review of his stat at the Unit, Aliyu disclosed that his administration focused on combating smuggling, revenue fraud, concealment, under-declaration, false declaration and the movement of prohibited goods.

“The Unit under my watch intercepted 779 smuggling attempts during his tenure, involving a wide range of prohibited and illegally imported items.

“The seizures included more than 20,900 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 61 used vehicles, thousands of used compressors and clothing items, foreign poultry products, 4,418 jerry cans of vegetable oil and 12,606 parcels of cannabis weighing 6,194.3 kilogrammes.

“Other seizures included 2.30 kilogrammes of cocaine, more than 3,000 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit PMS, equivalent to 76,505 litres, as well as 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84 kilogrammes- with a total duty-paid value of ₦13.075billion.

On revenue recovery, Aliyu disclosed that the Unit under his supervision recovered ₦3,192,511,547.52 between December 10, 2025 and September 24, 2026., which represents 798 per cent of the Unit’s ₦400 million annual revenue recovery target for 2026.

He also said the amount represented a 776 per cent increase compared with the ₦411,451,901.18 recovered during the corresponding period in 2025.

Aliyu attributed the performance to enhanced risk profiling, stricter compliance checks, targeted examination of suspicious declarations, teamwork, professionalism and collaboration with sister agencies and stakeholders.

He stressed that the success recorded by the unit was a product of collective effort, noting that no enforcement agency could effectively operate in isolation.

While welcoming his successor, the retired Comptroller congratulated Afeni and urged him to build on the existing operational foundation.

He charged the new helms man to lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment.

Aliyu also expressed appreciation to officers and men of the Unit for their loyalty, support, discipline and resilience. He urged them to extend similar support to the hew head of the Unit to ensure not only the success of the new leadership, but also that of the entire Customs Service with a view to ensuring the continued growth of Nigeria’s economy.

The occasion was graced by the Acting Customs Area Controllers of the Port and Terminal Multipurpose Limited PTML, Ogun 1 Area Command and the Enugu/Ebonyi/Anambra Command, among other senior officers and stakeholders.