Femi Anamelechi
The Zonal Coordinator for Zone ‘A’, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, has commended officers and men of Apapa Area Command for outstanding performance in revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations in 2025, while urging officers to uphold high standards of integrity and strengthen inter-agency collaboration in the new year. ACG Babandede gave the commendation on Thursday, 5 February 2026, during a working visit to the Command, describing the engagement as both an appreciation of past achievements and a morale-boosting exercise aimed at fostering even greater results in 2026. The ACG Pointed out the integrity and reputation management must remain central to Customs operations. “Anything you do, consider the nation and the service. Integrity is key. Our bar is already high, especially in trade facilitation, and that standard must not drop”.He also urged the Apapa Area Command to sustain collaboration with sister agencies and strategic partners to enhance operational effectiveness.
Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba in his welcome speech, disclosed that the Command recorded a landmark revenue of ₦2.93 trillion in 2025, marking a 24.32 percent increase over the ₦2.36 trillion generated in 2024. He said the achievements were as a result of improved compliance, operational efficiency, and the deployment of the Unified Customs Management System, B’Odogwu.Speaking on enforcement, Oshoba said the Command intercepted 53 containers of illicit goods valued at ₦12.63 billion, including hard drugs and expired pharmaceuticals, which were handed over to regulatory agencies such as the NDLEA and NAFDAC.He further assured that the command will prioritise deeper digitalisation, risk-based controls, intelligence-led operations, and extensive strategic collaboration in 2026, aligning with the Comptroller-General of Customs’ policy focus on consolidation, collaboration, and innovation.
