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Applause, As DC Afeni Takes over Leadership as 30th Controller In Charge of FOU ‘A’ Customs, with the Meritorious Retirement of Compt. Aliyu
Deputy Comptroller OO Afeni, New Controller in Charge of Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, NCS
My led administration would pursue “intelligence-led enforcement”, block revenue leakages, and protect Nigeria’s economic and security interests. Enforcement activities would be “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 Pledges
The leadership transition that witnessed Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni takes over the reign as 30th Controller In Charge of Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, the foremost anti-smuggling arm of the Nigeria Customs Service was generally regarded as a round peg in a round hole.
Many stakeholders have welcomed the development judging from the huge success recorded by DC Afeni in his immediate past position as CAC Ogun 1 Area Command, where his tenure was judged as one of the best in terms of slugging it out with smugglers and achieving humongous seizures, unprecedented revenue collection, effective usage of Intelligence Profiling, robustness in collaboration with various relevant Stakeholders and above all his humane posture to humanity, among others.
The Leadership Transition at FOU Zone ‘A’ from Rtd Compt. Aliyu to DC Afeni
All these attributes according to those that spoke to TransQuest in Idiroko where he handed over to the new helman, as well as at Ikeja where he took over the mantle of leadership, will help him galvanize his leadership to greater heights at the newly and more challenging task ahead as the Controller In Charge, Federal Operations Unit FOU Zone ‘A’, a unit that is saddled with the oversight functions and enforcement of operations at the entire south west zone which account for over 60% of the nation’s trade activities.
Meanwhile, as contained in the press statement signed by the unit’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Husssein Abdullahi, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja–Lagos, on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, formally welcomed Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni as the unit’s 30th Acting Comptroller, even as Comptroller Gambo Aliyu retired from the Service after a distinguished tenure.
DC Afeni
During the handing-over ceremony which was held at the unit’s conference hall and brought together friends, colleagues and well-wishers of both the incoming and outgoing Comptrollers, Deputy Comptroller Afeni in his inaugural address pledged “purposeful, professional and accountable leadership” in furtherance of the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He also expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in him by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (PhD, MFR, DSM, fnipr, fnij, psc+), and the Service’s management team.
Furthermore, the Acting Comptroller said his administration would pursue “intelligence-led enforcement”, block revenue leakages, and protect Nigeria’s economic and security interests. He emphasized that enforcement activities would be “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.
He also called for stronger collaboration with sister security and law-enforcement agencies to combat trans-border crimes, including the illicit movement of drugs, arms, currencies, counterfeit goods and other prohibited items. He pledged attention to officers’ welfare, professional development, institutional discipline, and regular sporting activities to promote fitness, teamwork and work–life balance.
Meanwhile, in his handing-over address, the immediate past Comptroller of the unit, retired Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, expressed gratitude and humility, marking the occasion as a formal transfer of leadership while reflecting on the responsibilities and challenges of commanding the unit, as he reported the interception of 779 smuggling attempts.
According to him, the intercepted items included: Over 20,900 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 61 used vehicles; Thousands of used compressors and clothing items; Foreign poultry products; 4,418 jerrycans of vegetable oil; 12,606 parcels of cannabis weighing 6,194.3kg 2.30kg of cocaine; Over 3,000 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (76,505 litres); 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg
These and other seizures had a total duty-paid value of ₦13,075,056,616.00.
On revenue recovery, Comptroller Aliyu reported remarkable recovery performance of ₦3,192,511,547.52—representing 798% of its ₦400 million annual target for 2026, and a 776% increase over the ₦411,451,901.18 recovered in the same period in 2025, between 10 December 2025 and 24 September 2026.
In conclusion, Aliyu welcomed and congratulated his successor, assuring him of a strong operational foundation, while he charged him to “lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment”.
He also thanked the officers for their loyalty, discipline and resilience, and prayed for the success of the new leadership, the continued growth of the Nigeria Customs Service, and the security of Nigeria.
Also in attendance at the hand over exercise were 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.
