‎Ogun I Customs Records Seizures of ₦2bn Worth Smuggled Goods, Hands Over Massive Drug Seizure To NDLEA

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The Ogun 1 command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against smuggling and narcotics trafficking following the seizures valued at over ₦2 billion, barely two weeks of Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni's assumption of duties as Acting Customs Area Controller of the command.

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‎The acting controller made this disclosure  during his maiden press briefing held on Wednesday in Idiroko, Afeni stated that the command’s latest operations underscored a renewed resolve to protect national security, public health and economic stability through intelligence-driven enforcement and strong inter-agency collaboration. He noted that since taking over the leadership of the command on December 4, 2025, the command has intensified surveillance, strengthened intelligence gathering and deepened cooperation with sister agencies and border communities which has yielded  a remarkable and timely results in the operations of the command.

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‎The controller disclosed that among the notable interceptions were an Iveco truck conveying 4,998 cartons of Doga brand spaghetti and 419 cartons of Oba brand spaghetti, as well as a DAF truck loaded with 2,200 kegs of vegetable oil, all illegally imported and classified as prohibited items. Afeni disclosed that the combined Duty Paid Value DPV of the seized food items stood at ₦291.26 million, while the seized trucks were valued at ₦222 million. He warned that such substandard food products posed serious health risks to Nigerians, as they bypassed mandatory regulatory checks.

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‎More alarming, however, was the scale of narcotics seized across multiple intelligence-led operations within Ogun State. These included 12kg of crystal methamphetamine, 16kg of heroin, and 3,373 wraps of cannabis sativa weighing about 1,502kg, alongside seizures of PMS, foreign rice, used vehicles, tyres and other contraband. Afeni said the total duty paid value of all seizures amounted to ₦2,006,008,898, describing the outcome as a clear signal of the command’s zero-tolerance stance against economic sabotage.

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According to him, the interception of hard drugs was particularly significant given their devastating impact on youths, public health and national security, especially during the festive season. He stressed that the command remains fully equipped to confront organized criminal networks through technology, intelligence and sustained collaboration.

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‎The Acting Area Controller also disclosed that despite being primarily an enforcement command, Ogun I had generated ₦27.29 million in revenue as of December 16, 2025, attributing the performance to officer diligence and trader compliance. He praised the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and support, while commending his officers, sister agencies, community leaders and the media for their roles in the successes recorded so far by the command.

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‎The seized narcotics, in line with inter-agency protocols were formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ogun Special Area Command, for further investigation and prosecution.

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Responding on behalf of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brigadier General Abubakar Marwa (rtd), the Area Commander, Ekundayo Williams, lauded the Customs command for sustaining strong collaboration and promptly transferring the exhibits. He described the seizure as “spectacular" and noted that the variety and quantity of drugs intercepted deserved commendation.

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He noted that if the drugs had made their way into society, it would have posed a great consequences to public health and national security particularly at a time of heightened social activities. He assured that the NDLEA would carry out thorough investigations to trace and apprehend those behind the illicit consignments.

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‎While calling on stakeholders and the public to strengthen cooperation in tackling the growing drug menace, Williams emphasized that although traffickers were becoming increasingly sophisticated, the law would ultimately catch up with them, he called for  collective action to reduce drug abuse and trafficking to the barest minimum.

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