By Bon Peters/
The Eastern Marine Command (EMC) of the Nigeria Customs Service has intensified its enforcement operations along the Oron and Calabar maritime corridors, with Comptroller Anderson Jaja on Thursday, November 13, 2025, leading a series of high-impact inspections, stakeholder engagements, and inter-agency collaborations to curb smuggling and illegal trade in the region.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by Chief Superintendent of Customs, Emmanuel Tangwa, the Command’s Public Relations Officer.
During an operational tour at the Oron Outstation in Akwa Ibom State, Comptroller Jaja showcased an array of seizures made by EMC operatives across various locations within its vast Area of Responsibility.
The recovered items include:
• 3,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)
• Several cartons of assorted pharmaceuticals valued at ₦12,049,612 Duty Paid Value (DPV)
• Two large sacks of endangered wildlife parts, including chimpanzee heads, parrots, and helmeted hornbill parts, in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
NewsmakersNG learnt that all items have been deposited in the Government Warehouse in Calabar.
Jaja commended officers of the Eastern Marine Command for their vigilance, while applauding the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka for its intelligence-sharing support.
He warned maritime operators and transporters to desist from illegal importation or exportation, insisting that the Command remains fully alert to counter all forms of smuggling and economic sabotage.
On illegal wildlife trafficking, he issued a stern caution:
“Anyone caught will face prosecution, as we already have offenders in custody ready to be charged to court. Sadly, some of them are women,” he said.
Jaja added that passengers found in boats carrying wildlife parts would also be arrested and prosecuted under both national and international laws.
Reiterating the national commitment to curbing illegal wildlife trade, Jaja noted that the Nigeria Customs Service is coordinating multi-agency efforts alongside environmental and security institutions to combat trafficking in endangered species.
“Nigeria stands tall in the fight against trade in endangered species, thanks to the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.
Speaking on the smuggling of petroleum products, Jaja described PMS diversion as a direct attack on national economic security. He warned perpetrators to desist, stressing that the Command would not tolerate attempts to move petroleum products across waterways.
The Command also handed over seized and expired pharmaceutical products to the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mr. John Naeche.
According to Jaja, the action aligns with the collaborative agenda of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
In his remarks, Mr. Naeche commended the EMC for its professionalism and assured that NAFDAC would communicate the date and venue for the destruction of the confiscated items. He also congratulated the CGC on his recent professional accomplishments and applauded the strengthened synergy between both agencies.
Earlier in the day, Jaja met with stakeholders along the Oron waterways to reinforce the CGC’s mantra of collaboration, compliance, and shared responsibility in maritime operations.
He later traveled by water to Calabar, where he inspected the Command’s Outstation Jetty and held strategic discussions with Comptroller CG Ogbonna of the Cross River/FTZA/Akwa Ibom Command to enhance joint operations.
Comptroller Jaja reaffirmed the Eastern Marine Command’s resolve to ensure that Nigeria’s waterways remain safe, lawful, and economically protected.
He encouraged stakeholders to uphold regulatory standards, support lawful trade, and collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service to strengthen national security and economic integrity.
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