The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Idiroko, on Thursday disclosed that it has intensify effort against smuggling and trans-border economic crimes, achieving interceptions with a cumulative Duty Paid Value of N2.469 billion within the operational window of August to September 2026.
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, said this at a press briefing, held at the Command’s Headquarters in Idiroko, where he presented a comprehensive scorecard of operational activities spanning August 2025 to September 2026.
According to Afeni, the Command’s operational thrust during the period under review was predicated on four strategic pillars: reinforcing border security architecture, stifling smuggling networks, promoting the facilitation of legitimate trade, and deepening stakeholder engagement with host communities across Ogun State.
He attributed the successes recorded to intelligence-driven enforcement operations executed in synergy with sister security agencies, which culminated in the interception of substantial consignments of prohibited and contraband commodities.
A breakdown of seizures effected between August and September 2026 shows: 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 3,893 parcels of Cannabis Indica, with an estimated weight of 1.878 tonnes; 428 pneumatic tyres; 8,675 litres of Premium Motor Spirit; 24 bales of second-hand clothing; 4 sacks of used shoes; and 500 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel).
Afeni put the aggregate Duty Paid Value of the confiscated items at N2,469,153,523.68, noting that the figure underscores the Command’s sustained and uncompromising enforcement posture against illicit cross-border commerce.
The Acting Controller further emphasized that the Command has adopted a dual-track approach that harmonizes rigorous enforcement with trade facilitation, adding that officers have maintained stringent regulatory compliance and oversight while simultaneously dismantling bureaucratic impediments for law-abiding importers and exporters.
A significant highlight of the briefing was the interception of a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530, which the Area Controller valued at approximately N417 million. The high-value seizure, he said, accentuates the Command’s resolve to forestall the exploitation of Nigeria’s land frontiers as conduits for the movement of luxury vehicles and other high-worth goods in violation of extant customs regulations.
The Command also drew attention to its intensified clampdown on sensitive industrial goods and mineral products, including Micra stone, Compressed Natural Gas components, white talc and crushed thermal cool, stressing the imperative of rigorous import and export verification procedures.
Customs Hands Over 3,893 Parcels of Cannabis to NDLEA
A central feature of the event was the formal transfer of the 3,893 parcels of cannabis sativa earlier intercepted by operatives of the Command to the Idiroko Special Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and necessary legal action.
Speaking during the handover, the Commander of Narcotics and head of the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command, Akande Oluwasumbo Oluwafemi, lauded the Customs Command for its consistent and result-oriented collaboration in curbing illicit drug trafficking.
Akande expressed concern over the escalating volume of narcotics being intercepted along the border corridor, describing the trend as a worrisome development that demands sustained inter-agency cohesion.
He observed that the Idiroko border axis has emerged as a critical flashpoint in the joint counter-narcotics campaign, noting that the complexity and porosity of the borderline makes it imperative for Customs, the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and other security formations to maintain operational synergy, as no single agency possesses the capacity to comprehensively police all entry points.
According to him, the interception of such a large cache of cannabis before its infiltration into the larger Nigerian market validates the efficacy of collaborative enforcement.
He further called on media practitioners, traditional institutions, host communities, faith-based organizations and other critical stakeholders to lend their voices to public sensitization and advocacy against drug abuse and trafficking.
Conveying the appreciation of the NDLEA leadership, Akande emphasized that preventing the influx of illicit drugs into the country transcends conventional law enforcement duties and constitutes a collective national obligation.
About the Author
