The newly appointed acting Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, Mamman Ali, has vowed to intensify the fight against smuggling through intelligence-driven operations, digitalisation and modern technology.
Latest: Customs seize ₦79.86m worth of petrol, foreign rice, other goods in Adamawa
Key Highlights
- Mamman Ali has assumed office as acting Area Controller of the Customs Adamawa/Taraba Area Command.
- He vows a technology-driven, intelligence-led crackdown on smuggling.
- Outgoing controller Mohammed Tako says seizures during his tenure had a duty paid value of N530.97 million.
- Seizures included 103,080 litres of PMS, 74kg of ivory tusks and 220kg of pangolin scales.
- IPMAN pledged continued partnership with the command.
Ali made the commitment during the handing-over and taking-over ceremony at the Customs House in Yola, where he formally assumed leadership of the command.
He said his administration would focus on strengthening operational efficiency, intelligence gathering and effective enforcement, while ensuring that individuals involved in smuggling activities are arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
‘Digitalisation Has Come To Stay’
The new controller explained that the command would move beyond conventional physical patrols and road checks by embracing digital solutions and technological innovations to strengthen border security and combat illicit trade.
“Digitalisation has come to stay, and we will adopt it in every possible way to curb smuggling activities and sanitise the economy for sustainable growth,” Ali said.
He added that suspects apprehended in connection with smuggling would face appropriate legal procedures and sanctions to serve as a deterrent to others.
Ali said his administration would operate in line with the Comptroller-General of Customs’ policy thrust of consolidation, innovation and collaboration.
He also called for stronger cooperation with community leaders, border residents and other stakeholders, describing them as essential partners in providing timely and credible intelligence to tackle smuggling.
The acting controller commended his predecessor, Mohammed Tako, for his contributions to the command, pledging to build on the achievements recorded during his tenure.
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N530.97m Seizures Under Tako
In his farewell remarks, Tako congratulated Ali on his appointment and disclosed that the command recorded significant anti-smuggling successes during his tenure, which began on December 9, 2025.
He listed the seizures to include 103,080 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), nine kilogrammes of cannabis, 74 kilogrammes of ivory tusks and 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales.
Other seized items, he said, comprised 64 complete raw donkey skins, 266 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 501 cartons of foreign bar soaps, second-hand clothing and vehicles allegedly used for conveying contraband goods.
According to Tako, the total duty paid value of the seized items stood at N530.97 million. He attributed the achievements to strengthened joint patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at protecting the nation’s borders and curbing illicit trade.
The outgoing controller urged officers and men of the command to extend maximum cooperation, loyalty and discipline to the new leadership to sustain the progress made.
Also speaking, the state Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abdulmalik Bello, commended Tako for his cooperation and support for the association during his tenure.
Bello praised the outgoing controller’s security initiatives and assured the new administration of IPMAN’s continued partnership with the Customs Service.
He reaffirmed the association’s readiness to collaborate with the command in addressing security challenges and promoting legitimate economic activities across Adamawa and Taraba States.
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