Uche Cecil Izuora
The Nigeria Customs Service, Onne Area II Command, Port Harcourt, has recorded its highest‑ever monthly revenue collection.
The Command generated over ₦77.3 billion in April 2026 alone, according to Customs Area Controller Comptroller Aliyu Mohammed Alkali.
Alkali, who made the disclosure during a press briefing held on 14 May 2026 at Onne, added that the Command’s total haul from January to April 2026 amounted to ₦258,204,841,355.66, an unprecedented figure in the Command’s history.
Comptroller Alkali attributed the feat to the Command’s renewed focus on revenue generation, trade facilitation, and strict enforcement of government fiscal policies. He also highlighted the Command’s anti‑smuggling efforts over the period, revealing that in February 2026 officers intercepted a 40‑foot container declared to contain plumbing materials valued at ₦185,220,000.00, only to find that the original container number had been removed and replaced with a fake number in a bid to remove it from the port without paying duty. A further nine 40‑foot containers with assorted items, including bales of fabrics, building materials, LED lights, solar fans, and garments, with a Duty Paid Value of ₦1,251,368,000.00, were also intercepted and converted to seizures for breaching provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 on document falsification and alteration of marks and numbers.
In April 2026, the Command intercepted six 20‑foot containers carrying 1,100 jerricans of Super Delicieux Vegetable Oil valued at ₦494,000,000.00, an importation that violated Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which prohibits the importation of refined vegetable oils and fats to protect local agro‑allied and oil‑producing industries. Officers also discovered a 40‑foot container with 600 cartons of unregistered Hyergra drugs cleverly concealed among ceiling fans, chilly cutters, and food packs, with a Duty Paid Value of ₦139,348,800.00. The combined Duty Paid Value of all 17 seized containers stands at ₦2,069,936,800.00.
Comptroller Alkali warned mischievous importers and agents that the Nigeria Customs Service remains firmly committed to curbing smuggling and other illegal trade practices at the port, while encouraging compliant traders to maintain lawful conduct. He used the occasion to commend Comptroller‑General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, for his leadership, strategic direction, and support, which he said continue to inspire the Command’s achievements and discipline across the Service. He also praised the officers and men of the Port Harcourt II Area Command for their professionalism, vigilance, and dedication, and thanked members of the press for their partnership in consistently sharing accurate information about the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service.