The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a large consignment of smuggled goods, including 6,035 parcels of cannabis, with a combined duty paid value of N3.57 billion.
The Acting Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko, Ogun State, where some of the seized items were displayed.
Afeni said the seizures were part of the command’s sustained campaign against smuggling, adding that the operation was being strengthened through intelligence gathering, technology and collaboration with sister security agencies.
He said the command had intensified its activities in line with the policy direction of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, particularly efforts aimed at protecting local industries, strengthening food security and curbing the movement of prohibited goods across the nation’s borders.
Among the items seized were 2,339 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of basmati rice, 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud and Indica, 30 bags of foreign sugar, 100 bags of fertiliser and 11,450 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
Other items included 1,750 litres of PMS in drums, 30 kegs of diesel, 67 bales of secondhand clothing, 2,674 pieces of new shorts and trousers, 3,760 pieces of new tops, 85 fire extinguishers, 480 cartons of Pure Heaven drinks, 53 packages of oats and 47 cartons of cosmetics.
The command also intercepted 36 packages of hair accessories, three packages of surgical shoes and 127 new purses, among other prohibited and improperly imported items. The total duty paid value of the seizures was put at N3,574,435,248.08.
Afeni said the interception of cannabis and other illicit substances was particularly significant because of the wider security and social consequences associated with drug trafficking, stressing that Customs could not effectively combat the menace without cooperation from other security agencies.
He formally handed over the seized narcotics to the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with established procedures.
According to him, the Ogun I Command has, from January 2026 to date, handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw cannabis sativa to the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command.
The acting controller said the command would continue to frustrate smugglers who exploit border routes to move prohibited goods into Nigeria, warning that Customs officers would seize contraband, impound vehicles used in smuggling and ensure that suspects are subjected to the law.
He also disclosed that the command generated N90.06 million in July 2026 from baggage assessments, auctions of perishable goods, PMS and other charges, representing part of its contribution to the government’s revenue drive.
On exports, Afeni said the command recorded 10,110 metric tonnes of export volume during the period under review, with a Free On Board value of N2.594 billion. He identified white talc, crushed thermal coal and compressed natural gas as major contributors to the export figure.
Afeni urged traditional rulers, youth leaders, border communities and other stakeholders to support Customs by providing credible information on suspicious activities, while calling on Nigerians to patronise locally produced goods as part of efforts to strengthen domestic industries and create employment.
He commended officers of the Ogun I Area Command for their commitment to duty and acknowledged the support and leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adeniyi, saying the service remained determined to protect Nigeria’s economy and borders from the activities of smugglers and criminal networks.