By Stephen Ubanna
This is not the best of times for Nigerians who travel to Canada and other parts of the world or the North American country of the United States, US, with one mindset to steal and ship state of the art vehicles to Nigeria for sales.
Bashir Adewale Adeni, MFR, Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, who had Launched the B’Odogwu Platform, an indigenous Technology, with the support of Huawei Technology, Asian Country of China firm, which has a -20-year working agreement with the Srvice for digitization of its operation appears to made smuggling at the nation’s seaports an unlucrative business in Nigeria.
The deployment of the Unified Customs Management System, UCMS, Trade Portal, Economic Cargo Tracking System, ECTS, Cargo Release System, Enforcement System, Telecommunication system, Video Surveillance and Connectivity, appears to have made things pretty much more difficult for criminal elements involved in vehicle theft overseas.
From the Lagos ports of Apapa, Tin-can Island Port, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, phases to the Ports of Onne, Rivers state and including the Land border stations of Seme, Idiroko, Saki, Iseyin to Jibya, in Katsina state the story is the same: tightened border security.
The tightened border security which was said to have led to the recovery of 65 stolen vehicles from Canada, smuggled into the Nigerian market, may have sent a signal to the transnational thieves that it is no longer going to be business as usual. The recovery of the 65 exotic vehicles in Nigeria through coordinated joint security operations appears to have gladdened the heart of officials of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, International Special Services officials.
It would be recalled that for much of this year, there had been unconfirmed reports of some stolen vehicles from Canada shipped to Nigeria. The Nigeria Customs Authorities had kept it a closely guided secret and were determined to track the stolen vehicles on the road or at the seaport as Nigeria integrity was at state.
The close collaboration between the the Leadership of the NCS, RCMP, the Canadian Border Service Agency, CBSA, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, under the close watch of Ola Olkoyede, and the Nigerian Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, which has Buba Marwa, an Army Brigadier General, rtd, and Nigeria former Ambassador to Soth Africa during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration, may have set the stage to track the stolen vehicles and return it to Canada.
I t would be recalled that Compt. Babatunde Olomu, Area Controller, Apapa Command, may have opened the eyes of Nigeria to what some criminally- minded Nigerians are doing abroad in the guise to become rich to steal exotic vehicles and ship the it to Nigeria.
The Customs Comptroller relentless efforts in monitoring the movement of cargoes at the Apapa port was said to have led to the interception and seizure of a ‘’40’’ Container, with Registration No. MRKU 0904594, which was said to have contained two state of the art, 2024 Lexus models.
One the vehicles, Lexus RX450, had Chassis Number JTJCJNGA6R2017707 while the second Lexus brand, Lexus 350 had chassis Number 2T2BAMCAPCO32471 but falsely declared as food items.
Unknown to many , the two exotic vehicles that was said to have been discovered in the ‘’40’’, during examination at the port was said to have been stolen from Canada but it could not be cleared, as the Command Enforcement officers and other relevant security agencies which have privileged information about the stolen vehicles from Canada were on red alert to intercept the stolen Lexus vehicles too dd to the number that had already been intercepted at other ports.
Appreciative of the tight security that had been mounted at the nation’s seaports and Land border stations across the country which was said to have led to the recovery of the 65 stolen Vehicles and over 1000 parcels of Narcotics through Joint Operations of Nigeria’s security agencies may have encouraged Pasquale Salvaggio, the Canadian High Commissioner, who could not hide his feelings on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, to give kudos to Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service , NCS, ‘’for his Leadership and pivotal role of the Service in the fight against border crimes’’.
The Canadian Envoy, was said to have praised the CGC Adeniyi, for his ‘’sustained contributions to disrupting the operations of international crime syndicates’’. He had alluded to the interception of various exotic vehicles worth millions of the North American country of the United States, US, dollars.
This is in addition to the interception and seizure of several kilograms of synthetic cannabis, popular, loud, smuggled from Canada to Nigeria through the country’s seaports, airports and other approved routes across the country.
He had said that through the support of CGC Adeniyi, in collaboration with Canadian and Nigerian Law Enforcement agencies, ‘’we have disrupted key international crime networks and safeguarded the integrity of our borders’’.
In apparent response to the High Commissioner’s remarks, CGC. Adeniyi, had appreciated the Government of Canada for ‘’recognizing the efforts of the Service in fighting border crimes’’, and further reaffirming ‘’its commitment in strengthening international cooperation in combating illicit trade’’.
The CGC, had asserted the recognition of the Service efforts by the Canadian Government ‘’reflects the success of our collaborative approach to international crime’’, stressing that the Service under his Leadership value our strong relationships with RCMP CBSA, INTERPL, and sister agencies in Nigeria like the EFCC and NDLEA.
Hear Him: Together, we have delivered tangible results that benefit both our countries and global trade. The Nigeria Customs Comptroller General, appears to have used the opportunity provided at the high-profile event at the Canadian High Commission’s office in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, ‘’to advocate formalizing the growing partnership’’ through a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between NCS and the Canadian Border Services Agency, CBSA ‘’to institutionalize cooperation on enforcement, intelligence exchange and training’’.
Highlighting the global nature of border crime, the Customs Comptroller General, had emphasized that deeper engagement between Customs Administrations across Continents is crucial now, that Nigeria and Canada are active members of the World Customs Organization, WCO.
Liliam Price, Director General of International Special Services, who had represented, RCMP, had acknowledged that partnership with NCS, has significantly strengthened Canada’s international enforcement efforts and remains vital in tackling organized criminal networks.
He may have gladdened the heart of the CGC and members of his Management Team when he stated that ‘’the recognition of the NCS, in combating border crime is a testament that the Service growing reputation as a reliable agency in international border security is not Negotiable’’.
He had corroborated what the CGC, had said about the value of sustained inter-agency collaboration in combating illicit trade and transnational crime.
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