Ismail Aniemu writes that Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Oladapo Afeni who assumed duty as Acting Customs Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Ogun 1 Area Command in Idiroko, Ogun State, in early December 2025, has strengthened the tempo of anti smuggling operations in one of Nigeria’s smuggling hotbed states.
Taking over from Comptroller Godwin Otunla. In the roughly four months since then, the Command under Afeni’s leadership has recorded notable gains in revenue generation, anti-smuggling enforcement, trade facilitation, and stakeholder relations, primarily through intelligence-driven operations, strategic patrols, and inter-agency/community collaboration.
Revenue Generation
The Command generated and remitted ₦454.67 million in 2025 (a 47% increase over ₦275.84 million in 2024).
In the first 28 days of January 2026, revenue reached ₦106.28 million (an 84.3% increase over the same period in 2025).
In an early review period under Afeni, the Command recorded ₦285.6 million in revenue (a 1,082% increase or ₦259.2 million more than the corresponding period in 2025), derived from baggage assessments, auctions of seized items (e.g., PMS), legitimate imports/exports, and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme.
Anti-Smuggling Operations and Seizures
Afeni’s tenure has emphasized disrupting smuggling syndicates along the border corridors (including Imeko and Ipokia axes), with a focus on narcotics, prohibited imports, and illegal mineral exports. Key results include:
Seizure of prohibited/contraband goods with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over ₦1.35 billion (reported around mid-March 2026), protecting local industries from unfair competition.
This included large-scale interceptions of vegetable oil (e.g., 2,539 kegs of 25 litres each intercepted on 11 March 2026 near Agbara).
In January 2026 alone: Over 4,260 parcels of cannabis sativa and indica (some reports detail 2,547 parcels weighing over 1,000 kg), plus 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 545 kegs of PMS (13,625 litres), second-hand clothing, used tyres/vehicles, foreign spaghetti, and other items.
Narcotics were handed over to the NDLEA.
Illegal mica stones: 285 sacks valued at ₦104.7 million, transferred to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in early April 2026 to curb illicit mineral exports.
Other notable seizures (in the first ~2 months): Antiquities (to National Museum), live pangolins (to wildlife conservation), arms/ammunition, and various smuggled goods worth over ₦1 billion in DPV overall during that window.
These operations have reportedly forced many smugglers to relocate operations beyond the Command’s jurisdiction like running into Benin Republic. Afeni has stressed vigilance against arms and narcotics, describing drugs as “central to criminality.”
Trade Facilitation and Export Growth
Export activities revived significantly: In an early period under Afeni, 95 metric tonnes of goods were exported (FOB value ₦305.7 million), compared to zero in the same period of 2025.
In March 2026 specifically: 266% growth in export value, with 277.8 metric tonnes valued at $383,100 FOB (vs. 20 metric tonnes at $104,600 in March 2025). Afeni attributed this to the Command’s balanced focus on trade facilitation and enforcement, which has boosted confidence among legitimate exporters.
Community Relations, Stakeholder Engagement, and Internal Leadership
Strengthened ties with host communities and traditional rulers (e.g., courtesy visit to the Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom), leading to pledges of support against smuggling and a drastic reduction in clashes between officers and locals.
His achievements received commendations from the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) in January 2026 for “remarkable operational achievements” in drug/arms interception and national security contributions.
He has promoted professionalism among officers via training on the NCS Reputation Management Handbook and corporate social responsibility initiatives to discourage smuggling and support sustainable community development.
Afeni has consistently emphasized intelligence-led enforcement, legitimate trade facilitation, revenue optimization, and stakeholder collaboration while pledging to build on prior gains and reward outstanding performance.
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