The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, has issued a stern warning to smugglers and violent groups targeting Customs officers, particularly in Adamawa State, stating that further attacks will be met with decisive action.
This warning came as a result of a brutal assault on officers in Mubi South Local Government Area on July 16, 2025, where the officers were ambushed by violent mobs who barricaded roads with sticks, stones, and other dangerous objects.
At a press briefing in Yola, the Adamawa State Capital, the Deputy Comptroller General and National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, DCG Kenyide Ejibunu, who represented the CG, disclosed that the attackers, who physically assaulted the personnel in a harrowing act, doused the operational vehicle with fuel, threatening to set both the officers and the vehicle ablaze.
“What began as resistance to lawful enforcement quickly escalated into a premeditated and violent attack. One officer, Operative Isah Mohammed, sustained serious injuries in the attack, leading to the casualty of an assailant from injuries sustained by a ricocheted bullet during crowd dispersal efforts. Ejibunu said
Despite officers’ efforts to de-escalate and withdraw, the incident resulted in both human and material losses, prompting condemnation from the Customs leadership.
While quoting the Nigeria Customs Service Act, Ejibunu emphasised that obstructing or assaulting Customs officers is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of ₦5 million, five years in prison, or both.
“This violent act is an affront to our shared values and must be addressed with the seriousness it deserves. It is a direct attack on the nation’s sovereignty and the integrity of lawful institutions,” the DCG stated.
He also revealed a significant seizure of smuggled petroleum products worth ₦95.7 million in Duty Paid Value (DPV) over the past six weeks across Adamawa and Taraba States.
The smuggled products, intended for illegal export to neighbouring countries, were carefully concealed and being transported using two vehicles, which were also impounded.
Ejibunu reiterated that the Customs Service remains committed to safeguarding the nation’s borders and economic interests, stressing that attacks on enforcement officers will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The Customs CG assured the public that enforcement operations would continue and that all those found culpable in the recent assault would be brought to justice.