... Recovers Goods Worth ₦5.5bn, Within 8Weeks
... Nabs 71-yr-Old Man With N2.35b Of Narcotics
The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has continued to unleash terror to smugglers and criminal elements operating within the South West states of Nigeria as it thwarted 473 smuggling attempts and recovered ₦5.5 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV) within 8weeks of intensified operations across the region.
Disclosing this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Ikeja, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu attributed the success to advanced surveillance, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency collaboration.
According to the Comptroller, Key seizures between 3rd February and 28th April 2026 includes;
Rice - 8,794 bags of 50kg, equivalent to 15 trailer loads
Cannabis Indica ‘Ghanaian Loud - 3,340 parcels weighing 1,540kg
Cocaine & Methamphetamine - 6.4kg with a street value of ₦2.35 billion, intercepted in a Toyota Highlander at Elijah Bus Stop, Lagos-Abidjan corridor
22 used Tokunbo vehicles, 1,188 kegs of vegetable oil, 31,705 litres of PMS, 328 bales of used clothing, 485 used tyres
Other items includes 1,863 used refrigerator compressors, 531 cartons of foreign poultry products, 69 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 24 bags of foreign sugar
The Unit also seized four cylinders of high-grade mercury concealed in a Toyota Avensis at Gbaji Outpost. The chemical, controlled under the Minamata Convention, is illegally used in small-scale gold mining. The suspect has been granted administrative bail pending handover to NESREA
Comptroller Aliyu also revealed that officers acting on credible intelligence intercepted a green Toyota Highlander at Elijah Bus Stop along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, driven by a 71-year-old suspect, Mr. Oni Iridia Martins. Further examination of the vehicle revealed six parcels of cocaine substance, with two parcels of the powdered substance Cocaine weighing 2.3kg, and four parcels of the Methamphetamine weighing 4.1kg of crack cocaine, all totalling 6.4kg of the illicit substance.
The consignment was intercepted at Elijah Bus stop along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, and has a street value of approximately N2.35b.
In a major anti-drug operation code-named “OPERATION HAWK", the Unit said it targeted illicit supply chains. The 1,540kg cannabis and 6.4kg cocaine and methamphetamine will be handed over to the NDLEA for prosecution.
Aliyu said the Unit recovered an additional ₦97.7 million through post-clearance audit and demand notices for under-declared consignments.
He also noted that FOU zone ‘A’ is advancing digitisation with geospatial intelligence, drones, satellite imagery, and real-time vehicle tracking to map high-risk corridors in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ondo states. The new ultra-modern Command Headquarters at Iperu, Ogun State, commissioned by President Bola Tinubu, will serve as the hub for the command and control centre.
“We will continue to support legitimate trade while striking a balance between security enforcement and economic growth" he stated.
Aliyu express his gratitude to the indefatigable Comptroller General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and his management team for their continued guidance and for providing the required direction “which we are thriving on.
I commend the tireless efforts of our operatives and reaffirm our commitment to securing our nation’s borders against all forms of economic sabotage.
We will not relent in our mission to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s trade environment and protect our economy from illicit trade practices.
I also deeply appreciate our esteem stakeholders and media partners for their support and modest reportage of our efforts”.
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