A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has sentenced a 41-year-old businessman named Abdulrahman Adam, to three years in prison for diverting a container loaded with goods worth millions of naira and forging Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) documents to evade statutory duties.
Adam, who resides in the Gwammaja area of Kano, was arraigned by Customs on a one-count charge of diversion and forgery, an offence contrary to Section 228(1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. The defendant had pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him in court.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Musa Shua’ibu found him guilty and ordered that he serve three years in prison, with an option of a N3 million fine.
The court noted that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and stressed that Adam’s actions undermined government revenue and the integrity of the Customs clearance system.
Speaking after the judgment, the Director of Legal Services of the Nigeria Customs Service, Smart Akande, said Adam’s actions deprived the federal government of legitimate customs duties.
He described the ruling as a “landmark judgment” and a strong warning to those involved in diverting containers and falsifying Customs documents.
