The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, has intercepted illicit goods worth ₦1,350,751 000 and handed over 2,547 parcels of cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Oladapo Afeni , disclosed this during a press conference held at the command headquarters in Idiroko on Monday 16th March, 2026.
Afeni said the seizures were recorded through intelligence driven operations and the commitment of officers determined to curb smuggling and protect Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, officers of the command on March 11, 2026, intercepted a truck with registration number APP-740-YD along the Agbara axis conveying 2,539 kegs of smuggled vegetable oil, each containing 25 litres. He explained that preliminary investigations revealed the items were smuggled through creeks in small consignments before being assembled for transportation.
Afeni noted that the interception followed an earlier operation on March 4, 2026, when operatives seized a Sino truck loaded with 4,325 cartons of foreign spaghetti weighing 10kg each, indicating a persistent trend in the smuggling of essential commodities into the country.
The Ag. Controller recalled that the command had earlier paraded 2,090 kegs of smuggled vegetable oil on December 16, 2025, adding that the renewed interceptions demonstrate the command’s resolve to stamp out smuggling and protect local producers.
He said the seizures also included 1, 204 Bags Foreign Parboiled Rice (Equivalent to Twotrailer load of Rice), 2,547 parcels of Cannabis Sativa of different sizes (the Ghana loud strain commands a luxury price tag to match its heavy-hitting profile), 545 Kegs Premium Motor Spirit (13,625litres) equivalent to a tanker load of PMS, Four (4) live pangolin which has been handed over to green fingers Wildlife Conservations, 36 Cartons Bardinet Syrup, 8 packs of perfume oil, 13 Pieces of used tyres, 50 Bags of imported Sugar, 8 Bales of second-hand clothing, 15 sacks of used clothing, 5 Sacks of used lady’s hand Bags, 2 Sacks used footwear, 2 Used vehicles
He stated that the 2,547 parcels of cannabis sativa had been formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, in line with inter-agency collaboration. He also disclosed that two antiquities intercepted by the command were transferred to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments through the National Museum in Abeokuta following expert appraisal, as part of efforts to preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
He warned smugglers and economic saboteurs that the command remains strategically positioned to frustrate their activities, stressing that officers are always a step ahead through intelligence gathering and strategic monitoring.
On revenue generation, he revealed that the command collected ₦285.65 million during the period under review from baggage assessments and auction sales of petroleum products intercepted during anti-smuggling operations. The figure, he said, surpasses the ₦259.26 million generated during the same period in 2025.
In the area of trade facilitation, the controller disclosed that the command recorded 95 metric tonnes of exports with a Free On Board (FOB) value of ₦305.7 million, marking a significant improvement compared to the same period in 2025 when no export trade was recorded.
He commended traditional leaders, host communities, and the media for their continued support in the fight against smuggling, while reiterating the command’s commitment to enforcing federal government fiscal policies and encouraging legitimate trade.
Afeni also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and support to the command in executing its mandate.
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