The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Tuesday said it collected the sum of N1.7 trillion as revenue in the first quarter of 2025.

The Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this in Abuja during the briefing on the NCS activities in the Q1 2025.

He said, “I am pleased to report the Service’s revenue collection for Q1 2025 totaled ₦1,751,502,252,298.05.”

He also said the performance represented 29.96 per cent increase over the N1.34 trillion collection of Q1 2024.

In his month-by-month analysis, Adeniyi revealed that the service in January collected ₦647,880,245,243.67 to surpass the target of ₦548.33 billion by 18.12%, and also recorded a remarkable 65.77% year-on-year growth.

He said February’s ₦540,105,439,535.18 exceeded its target by 1.3% while achieving 19.97% growth over 2024 figures.

In March, according to him, NCS maintained the positive trend with ₦563,516,567,519.20, delivering 2.7% above target and an 11.22% improvement over March 2024.

Adeniyi however attributed the positive performance to Reforms initiated under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He added that the robust statistics were due to the hard work of the NCS officers.

“Let me emphasise that every statistic we share today represents the hard work of our customs officers – stopping illegal goods at our borders, enabling lawful trade, and securing vital government revenue.

“While we’ve achieved significant successes this quarter, we’ve also encountered challenges that have provided valuable lessons for our ongoing operations,” he said.

Adeniyi said NCS maintained robust anti-smuggling operations during the first quarter of 2025, recording 298 seizures with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦7,698,557,347.67.

He said this represents a significant 78.41% increase compared to the ₦4,315,162,568.35 recorded in Q4 2024, demonstrating heightened operational effectiveness.

The Customs boss said, however, when compared to Q1 2024’s ₦9,587,256,998.05, the Service observed a 19.70% reduction in Duty Paid Value (DPV), attributable to improved compliance through sustained stakeholder engagement and the deterrent effect of the enforcement activities.

He said rice remained the most prevalent seized commodity, with 159 cases involving 135,474 bags valued at ₦939,309,698.00.

He stressed that petroleum products followed with 61 seizures totaling 65,819 liters (₦43,336,160.81 DPV).

According to him, of particular note were 22 narcotics interceptions valued at ₦730,748,173.00, reflecting our intensified focus on combating drug trafficking.

The Service, he said, also recorded three high-value wildlife product seizures with a remarkable ₦5,653,522,600.00 DPV, underscoring both the lucrative nature of this illegal trade and our commitment to environmental protection under international conventions.

He said other notable seizures included textile fabrics (13 cases, ₦134,219,330.00 DPV), retreaded tires (5 cases, ₦104,599,000.00 DPV), and pharmaceuticals (1 case, ₦17,188,000.00 DPV).

The Borno state government has demonstrated its commitment to peace-building and reintegration by honouring the graduation ceremony of Batches 6 and 7 of the 2024 repentant clients.

The event took place at the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) camp of the Operation Safe Corridor, located in Malam Sidi in Kwami local government area of Gombe state.

A total of 390 militants who previously engaged in violent insurgency surrendered to the Nigerian Army and enrolled in the DRR programme. After months of deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and vocational training, these clients graduated and are now set to be reintegrated into society through the Borno faculty for reception and community transition.

The Borno state government was represented by the Commissioner of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo who received the 230 “processed” repentant clients who are indigenes of Borno state. They all expressed sincere regrets for their past involvement with Boko Haram insurgency that ws done mostly under duress/abductions, and pledged to embrace peaceful and productive lives.

The graduation ceremony witnessed the presence of dignitaries and representatives from various levels of government and security agencies.

This included officials from the Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kano. Katsina, Osun Akwa Ibom, Bauchi and Kogi State Governments; representatives of the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff; the Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Department of State Services (DSS).

The protesters expressed disappointment that despite President Bola Tinubu’s removal of Kyari and the entire NNPCL board on April 2, 2025, no step has been taken to investigate the alleged corrupt practices under Kyari’s leadership.

Hundreds of protesters have stormed the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to demand the prosecution of former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, and a thorough probe into the company’s transactions for the past five years.

Atiku has reportedly been calling on opposition figures across the country to form a mega party that would wrest power from President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

An elder statesman and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Bode George, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for what he described as a humiliating and disgraceful political pilgrimage to ex-President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Appearing on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, the former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP accused Atiku of sidelining his party faithful while cosying up to Buhari, a man who thoroughly defeated him in the 2019 presidential election, just to pursue his personal ambition of leading a new opposition coalition ahead of 2027.

Atiku has reportedly been calling on opposition figures across the country to form a mega party that would wrest power from President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Meanwhile, the former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP has debunked the coalition agenda, indicating that it was a plot to weaken the PDP.

Speaking on Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Tuesday, the PDP chieftain, also questioned the purpose of the mega party Atiku is championing, saying the former Vice President’s call for coalition is for his ambition.

“Those who are now forming a mega party, what is the purpose of that mega party? You’re a member of a solid organisation, you want to pull out.

“You are meeting with Baba Buhari, is he a member of our party? Have you discussed your mega something with anybody else? Do you think it is a private fiefdom? Is PDP a private company? Nobody owns the PDP. You bring it within the party. Let us discuss it. Once it is approved, then you move. You don’t just flip flop because of your personal ambition,” he said.

The PDP chieftain slammed the ex-vice president for taking his coalition campaign to Buhari, who he said beat him ‘like a little kid’ in the 2019 presidential election.

The elder statesman also questioned Atiku’s motive for visiting Buhari with his fellow northerners.

“Look at General Buhari shaking hands with these guys. Is he a member of our party? We presented you against him, and he flogged you like a little kid, and then you are running there.

“And if you look at the congregation of those who visited Buhari, they are all from one side, who are the others from our party? No, it’s not done that way. In fact, my conclusion was, What is this man trying to do with this mega party? Is he trying to divide Nigeria from the north and then the south?,” George queried.

The elder statesman added that Atiku’s move is a plot to get another presidential ticket without regard for the unwritten zoning arrangement between the northern and southern parts of the country.