Comptroller Gambo Iyere Aliyu, the Nigeria Customs officer who made national headlines for rejecting a $50,000 bribe offer, has formally assumed leadership of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, the Service’s flagship anti-smuggling formation.
The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday, December 10, 2025, as outgoing Comptroller (now Assistant Comptroller-General) Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu formally transferred authority to his successor in an emotional but celebratory event.
In his valedictory speech, ACG Shuaibu thanked the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the entire management for the opportunity to lead the elite unit for seven months (April 23 – December 10, 2025).
He highlighted the Unit’s remarkable scorecard under his watch:
761 seizures worth ₦10.05 billion
23,000 bags of foreign rice
98 used vehicles
2,350 kg of cannabis sativa
15 rifles and 4,841 rounds of ammunition
25 kg of methamphetamine
Four 50kg cylinders of Russian-origin explosives
Two industrial drones
Eight containers of expired drugs worth ₦7.5 billion (handed over to NAFDAC)
₦419.2 million revenue recovered through demand notices
38 arrests and $20,000 forfeited currency transferred to EFCC
Shuaibu urged officers to give maximum support to the new helmsman, expressing confidence that the structures he built would endure.
Taking the baton, Comptroller Gambo Iyere Aliyu, widely celebrated for his integrity after turning down a $50,000 bribe in 2024, promised to raise the bar higher.
“I will consolidate and surpass the achievements of my predecessor,” he declared, pledging strict adherence to the CGC’s policy thrust of consolidation, collaboration, and innovation.
He outlined his leadership philosophy around three pillars:
Change management
Compliance management
Reputational management
Aliyu warned that indiscipline and unethical conduct will not be tolerated, while assuring improved welfare, intelligence-driven operations, and robust stakeholder engagement, including open channels with the media.
The new FOU Zone ‘A’ boss takes over at a time the unit is regarded as the last line of defence against smuggling in the South-West and remains critical to Nigeria’s revenue generation and economic security.
Officers present at the ceremony described the transition as “passing the anti-smuggling torch from one exemplary leader to another.”
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