The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun I Command, has intensified its crackdown on smuggling, recording 73 seizures worth N6.77 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV) within 41 days.
Acting Controller of the Command, Ag. Comptroller Olukayode O. Afeni, said the operation reflects the Command’s zero-tolerance stance on prohibited imports and its commitment to dismantling networks that undermine Nigeria’s economy and security.
Briefing journalists, Afeni said the seizures were made at different locations across Ogun State through intelligence-led operations. The contraband includes large quantities of narcotics, foreign rice, vegetable oil, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, and wildlife.
Major Seizures
Among the intercepted items are:
1. *1,759 bags* of foreign parboiled rice, 50kg each
2. *10,126 parcels* of cannabis indica, “Ghana Loud”, weighing 4,627kg and valued at over N5 billion
3. *2,685 kegs* of Oki vegetable oil, 25 litres each
4. *14,550 litres* of Premium Motor Spirit in jerry cans, equivalent to over one tanker load
5. *16 kegs* of Oki vegetable oil, 2 litres each
6. *20 cartons* of turkey vegetable oil, 3 litres each
7. *10 cartons* of Basmati rice, 21kg each
8. *216 cartons* of Basmati rice, 20kg each
9. *205 packs* of footwear
10. *26 sacks* of raw cannabis sativa
11. *66 bales* of second-hand clothing
12. *11 kegs* of diesel, 25 litres each
13. *46 bags* of foreign sugar, 25kg each
14. *77 cartons* of Analgin injection, 500mg, without NAFDAC registration numbers
Other items include 7 sacks of second-hand clothing, 2 used vehicles, 2 sacks of ladies’ handbags, 16 cartons of organic honey, 50 cartons of expired Maggi Star, 858 packs of macaroni, 2 sacks of spaghetti, and *6 live pangolins* already handed over to the relevant wildlife agency.
Health, Security and Economic Threats.
Afeni said the seizures went beyond revenue loss, highlighting the public health and security risks posed by the contraband.
“Cannabis sativa and indica, commonly known as marijuana or Indian hemp, are psychoactive drugs with devastating effects, especially on our youths,” he said. “The rise in abuse is a threat to national security due to its link to armed robbery, banditry, cultism, kidnapping, terrorism and other vices.”
He added that the Command had removed 26,002 parcels of cannabis from the streets since January, a move he described as preventive rather than reactive. “Without this intervention, our society would face a wave of drug-related crises that our overstretched healthcare and rehabilitation systems could hardly manage,” he said.
On rice smuggling, Afeni said the ban on land-border importation was designed to encourage local production and self-sufficiency. “The persistent smuggling of rice will continue to hamper our economic growth. We urge Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s policy to improve social security and economic wellbeing,” he said.
The Command also intercepted a DAF truck on May 5, 2026, along the Sagamu-Interchange/Ogere road laden with 2,185 kegs of Oki vegetable oil, 25 litres each. Afeni noted that the influx of foreign vegetable oil undermines local refineries, farmers, and jobs, while raising public health risks from unregulated products.
Since assuming duty, the Command has seized 12,271 kegs of vegetable oil, 25 litres each, he said.
Pharmaceuticals and Other Contraband.
On May 7, 2026, officers intercepted a Volvo truck along the same corridor. A 100% physical examination revealed 77 cartons of Analgin injection without NAFDAC registration, 50 cartons of expired Maggi cubes, 226 sacks of Basmati rice, 2 sacks of ladies’ bags, 205 sacks of footwear, 36 cartons of vegetable oil, 16 cartons of organic honey, and 7 sacks of used clothing.
Revenue and Trade Facilitation.
Alongside enforcement, the Command generated and remitted N125,430,757.00 to the Federation Account between March 16 and May 12, 2026, through baggage assessment and the auction of seized petroleum products.
Afeni said cross-border trade was gradually picking up, with the Command facilitating the export of 95 metric tonnes valued at N1.004 billion Free on Board (FOB).
“Our doors are open for consultation and support. We are using intelligence to drive operations. We are not just catching smugglers; we are clearing the path for honest businesses,” he said. “Complaints about multiple checkpoints have disappeared, replaced by a streamlined corridor for legitimate commerce.”
He commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and his management team for their vision and reforms, saying they were yielding results on the ground.
Afeni urged compliant traders to remain steadfast, assuring them of maximum cooperation from the Command.