The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has continued to tighten the noose on suspected smugglers and other criminal elements as its Ogun I Area Command has made seizures with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2.469 billion.
The seizures which comprises several items listed in the Import Prohibition List (IPL) as well as the Export Prohibition List (EPL) were intercepted by officers and men of the command between August and September 2026.
This was disclosed by the Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC), NCS, Ogun I Command, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni during a press briefing at its operational headquarter, Idiroko recently.
Giving an insight into his command operations within the period under review, Afeni said its performance was anchored on strengthening border security, suppressing smuggling, facilitating legitimate trade and improving engagements with stakeholders and host communities in the border communities between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
He added that intelligence-led operations and collaboration with sister security agencies resulted in the interception of substantial quantities of prohibited and illicit goods in the period under review.
Items seized include 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 3,893 parcels of Cannabis Indica, weighing approximately 1.878 tons; and 428 pneumatic tyres; 8,675 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol.
Others are 24 bales of second-hand clothing; 4 sacks of used shoes; and not less than 500 litres of diesel.
The Customs Chief revealed that the combined DPV of the seized items stood at N2, 469, 153, 523.68 even as he described the figure as evidence of his command’s sustained enforcement against illicit cross-border trade.
According to Afeni, the command would continue to combine enforcement with legitimate trade facilitation in order to ensure that the right thing is done.
He noted that officers and men had maintained strict regulatory oversight while working to reduce bottlenecks for compliant importers and exporters in the country.
The Acting CAC also disclosed that a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530 sport utility vehicle (SUV) which value was put at about N417 million in the open market was among the seizures made by officers and men of the command within the period under review.
According to him, seizures underscored the command’s determination to prevent the use of Nigeria’s land borders for the movement of high-value goods along the Nigeria border with the Republic of Benin.
Afeni said the command’s responsibilities extended beyond enforcement, noting that it had also pursued corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental initiatives aimed at supporting host communities.
He added that his command participated in inter-command athletic and other sports competitions which took place in August and September 2026 and it emerged as champions in volleyball category.
He averred that the sustained collaboration with other sister agencies in combating the trafficking of illicit goods was a major focus of the joint campaign against drug trafficking. These include National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Army.
He also highlighted the command enforcement against sensitive goods and products movement including what he identified as Micra stone, CNG, white talc and crushed thermal coal just as he stressed the need for proper import and export verifications.
He attributed the command’s achievements to the dedication of its officers and men as well as the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the NCS management at NCS headquarter, Abuja.
He also expressed appreciation to host communities, traditional rulers and the media organizations for their co-operation and support in the delivery of NCS mandate in the areas under the command purview.
Afeni warned smugglers and other perpetrators of illegal border activities to stay clear as he declared Ogun I Command a no go area.
According to him, officers and men of the command would remain firmly opposed to the movement of prohibited and illicit goods through the command’s areas of jurisdiction.
The Acting CAC further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s economic interests, strengthening border security and sustaining collaboration with other government agencies.
According to the Customs Chief, the NDLEA’s endorsement of the NCS led interception, particularly the handover of the 1.878-tonne cannabis consignment, further underscored the growing emphasis on joint operations as security agencies seek to prevent Ogun’s border corridors from being exploited for drug trafficking and other forms of cross-border crimes.
The highpoint of the press briefing was the formal handover of the 3,893 parcels of cannabis intercepted by NCS to NDLEA, Idiroko Special Command for what he called “further investigations and appropriate actions” in the days ahead.
On hand to receive the items was the Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA Idiroko Special Command, Mr. Oluwasumbo Oluwafemi Akande.
Akande used the occasion to pat NCS on the back for what he described as sustained collaboration in combating the trafficking of illicit drugs in the country.
The NDLEA Chief expressed dismay over the increasing quantity of hard drugs intercepted at the border.
According to him, it has become a serious concern. The situation required sustained co-operation among law-enforcement agencies and other stakeholders.
Akande revealed that Idiroko border corridor had effectively become a major focus of the joint campaign against drug trafficking in the country.
He stressed that NCS, NDLEA, NPF, DSS and other security agencies must continue to work together as he argued that no single agency could effectively cover every border location in the country.
The NDLEA Chief stated that the interception of such a large quantity of cannabis before it reached the wider Nigerian market demonstrated the importance of inter-agency co-operation even as he appealed to journalists, host communities, religious organizations and other stakeholders to support public awareness campaigns against drug abuse and trafficking.
He conveyed appreciation of NDLEA leadership to NCS just he maintained that preventing illicit drugs from entering Nigeria was not merely an enforcement responsibility but a collective national task by the citizenry.
