Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni has assumed leadership of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Lagos, of the Nigeria Customs Service, following the retirement of Comptroller Gambo Aliyu after 35 years of service.
Afeni, who was appointed in an acting capacity, took over at a handover ceremony on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, pledging to provide purposeful, professional and accountable leadership while advancing the mandate of the Service.
He said his administration would build on the operational foundation inherited from Aliyu, with emphasis on intelligence-led enforcement, blocking revenue leakages and advancing Nigeria’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 said.
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.
Afeni further pledged to prioritise officers’ welfare, professional development and institutional discipline, while encouraging regular sporting activities to promote physical fitness, teamwork and work-life balance.
The new head of the Unit expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management of the Service for the confidence reposed in him.
The leadership change comes as FOU Zone ‘A’ records significant enforcement and revenue recovery under the outgoing comptroller.
Aliyu disclosed that the Unit intercepted 779 smuggling attempts during his tenure, involving prohibited and illegally imported goods.
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, equivalent to 76,505 litres, and 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84 kilogrammes, with a total duty-paid value of ₦13.075 billion.
On revenue recovery, Aliyu said the Unit recovered ₦3,192,511,547.52 between December 10, 2025 and September 24, 2026, representing 798 per cent of its ₦400 million annual revenue recovery target for 2026.
He said the amount was also a 776 per cent increase over 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.
While welcoming Afeni, the retired comptroller urged him to build on the existing operational foundation and lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment.
Aliyu also thanked officers and men of the Unit for their loyalty, support, discipline and resilience, urging them to extend the same support to his successor.
The ceremony was attended 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.