The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is in mourning following the cold-blooded killing of a dedicated officer during a violent confrontation with economic saboteurs. Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC I) Mustapha Akiyode was fatally shot during the early hours of Tuesday, 3rd February 2026, whilst conducting an anti-smuggling operation in Ogun State.
The fallen officer was part of a tactical team navigating the Ilara–Ijoun axis in the Imeko-Afon Local Government Area when they were caught in a sophisticated ambush laid by suspected smugglers.
During his maiden press briefing at the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A headquarters in Ikeja, the newly appointed Comptroller, Gambo Aliyu, described the loss as a “profound tragedy” and a “stark reminder of the perilous conditions” faced by those charged with safeguarding the nation’s borders.
“We have lost a brave and committed officer in the line of duty,” Comptroller Aliyu remarked with solemnity. “His ultimate sacrifice shall not be in vain; rather, it serves to steel our resolve and intensify our crusade against those who seek to undermine the economic stability of our Commonwealth.”
The briefing served as a platform for Comptroller Aliyu to unveil a sophisticated, intelligence-driven strategy designed to decapitate smuggling networks across the South-West corridor. The new operational framework rooted in robust surveillance and inter-agency coordination has already yielded substantial results.
Within a brief period under the new command, officers intercepted 144 smuggling attempts. The inventory of seized contraband is extensive, including:
- 6,954 bags of foreign parboiled rice and 77 bags of foreign sugar;
- 21 used vehicles and a 20-foot container of stone-coated aluminium roofing sheets;
- 3,362 jerrycans of vegetable oil and 20,700 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS);
- 915 bales of used clothing and 581 used refrigerator compressors, the latter of which are classified as hazardous waste under international environmental conventions.
In a significant blow to the illicit drug trade, the Unit intercepted 3,029 parcels of a potent synthetic strain of Cannabis Indica, weighing approximately 1,431 kilograms. Comptroller Aliyu warned of the inextricable link between the narcotics trade and the broader insecurity plaguing the nation.
“Drug trafficking provides the financial oxygen for banditry and terrorism,” the Comptroller stated. “It erodes our societal fabric and destabilises national security. Our message to these criminal elements is clear: abandon these illicit paths and embrace legitimate commerce, for our enforcement shall be relentless.”
Eight suspects have been apprehended in connection with these seizures, which carry a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3.31 billion. In a demonstration of institutional synergy, the intercepted narcotics were formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
As the FOU Zone A reflects on the loss of ASC I Akiyode, Comptroller Aliyu reaffirmed that the Unit would continue to discharge its duties with “renewed vigour, professionalism, and an unswerving adherence to the rule of law.”
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