Ogun Customs Seize ₦2bn Contraband, Narcotics in Two Weeks, Comptroller Afeni Warns Smugglers of Zero Tolerance
Kathy Kyari
The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded major anti-smuggling and border security breakthroughs within two weeks, seizing contraband and narcotics with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over ₦2 billion, as the Command intensified intelligence-led enforcement across Ogun State.
Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, disclosed this on Wednesday during his maiden press briefing held in Idiroko, declaring a zero-tolerance stance against smuggling, drug trafficking, and economic sabotage.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the maiden press briefing of my stewardship as the Customs Area Controller, Ogun I Area Command,” Afeni said, noting that since assuming office on December 4, 2025, the Command had pursued its mandate of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation with renewed vigour.
He said the seizures were the result of intensified surveillance, strategic intelligence deployment, and strengthened collaboration with sister security agencies and border communities, adding that “our approach will be firm, fair, and intelligence-driven.”
According to Afeni, on December 12, Customs operatives intercepted an Iveco truck conveying 4,998 cartons of Doga brand spaghetti and 419 cartons of Oba brand spaghetti, both 10kg packs illegally imported from Turkey. A day later, another operation led to the interception of a DAF truck carrying 2,200 kegs of 25-litre vegetable oil of Indonesian origin.
“These food items are designated as contraband goods and are absolutely prohibited for importation in Nigeria,” he said, warning that smuggling substandard food products posed serious public health risks as they had not undergone checks by relevant regulatory agencies.
Beyond food contraband, the Command recorded significant narcotics seizures, including 12kg of Crystal Meth, 16kg of heroin, and large quantities of Cannabis Sativa of various sizes, with a combined weight of over 1,500kg.
Other intercepted items included 6,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 4,738 bags of foreign parboiled rice, used vehicles, pneumatic tyres, and multiple means of conveyance.
Afeni described the narcotics interceptions as “particularly worrisome,” stressing their implications for youth safety, public health, and national security. Citing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), he said global drug trafficking networks had escalated their activities, pushing drug use to “historically high levels.”
“In the World Drug Report of UNODC published in June 2025, Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit substance,” he said, adding that “one in three users report needing treatment or counseling,” a burden Nigeria’s overstretched health system could ill afford.
He announced that the seized Cannabis Sativa would be formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, underscoring inter-agency collaboration in safeguarding national security.
Despite being a primarily enforcement-focused command, Afeni revealed that Ogun I Customs generated ₦27.29 million in revenue as of December 16, 2025, attributing the performance to officer diligence and cooperation from compliant traders.
The Customs boss credited the successes to the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, describing his administration as one that had “redefined operational effectiveness and motivated a culture of excellence across Commands nationwide.”
He also commended officers and men of the Command, sister agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders, and local informants for their support, while praising the media for “their objectivity and patriotism.”
“In conclusion, I reaffirm our unwavering resolve to sustain this momentum,” Afeni said. “Smugglers and their collaborators are hereby warned to steer clear of Ogun I Command.”
He assured that the Command would remain “vigilant, alert, and ready to confront any threat to the economic and security interests of our nation,” guided by integrity, professionalism, and national development objectives.
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