..Intercepts 43 consignments, 13 foreign-used vehicles, cannabis, illicit drugs, foreign rice
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, has recorded 43 seizures of smuggled and prohibited items with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N3.153 billion in barely 15 days after the assumption of office of its Acting Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Abdulhamid Ibrahim.
The seizures included 4,013 parcels of cannabis sativa, 27,831 units of various unregistered pharmaceutical products, 321 military camouflage face caps, foreign parboiled rice, prohibited pasta, 13 foreign-used vehicles, second-hand clothing, shoes and other contraband goods.
Acting Controller Ibrahim disclosed this on Thursday, October 15, 2026, during his maiden press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko, Ogun State.
He attributed the successes to intelligence-driven operations, intensified surveillance and collaboration with sister security agencies and community stakeholders.
The Acting Controller, who assumed office on September 29, 2026, said the command had recorded remarkable operational successes within the short period, reaffirming its determination to combat smuggling, protect public health and safeguard the nation’s economic and security interests.
“These deliberate efforts have yielded remarkable results, resulting in 43 seizures within the space of 15 days that I assumed the leadership of this command,” he said.
He recalled that, at the commencement of his administration, he had warned smugglers and their collaborators that the command would not tolerate economic sabotage, promising that enforcement operations would remain firm, fair and intelligence-driven.
Giving details of some major interceptions, Ibrahim said Customs patrol operatives, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted three trucks conveying prohibited foreign pasta on October 2, 2026.
He explained that the operation took place at about 4:30 a.m., with the vehicles subsequently conveyed to the command’s headquarters in Idiroko for physical examination in accordance with Section 227 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The examination revealed that the first truck, a Sino Howo with registration number MSW-232-XA, was carrying 2,740 cartons of foreign Siddo pasta concealed alongside 500 cartons of Oki condensed milk.
The second truck, a Howo with registration number TFA-674-XA, contained 6,000 cartons of foreign Ginny pasta, while the third vehicle, an Iveco Elco truck with registration number KMC-702-ZR, was conveying 6,500 cartons of foreign Doga pasta.
In another operation on October 4, at about 1:34 a.m., along the Afamin-Dangote-Itori axis of the state, the command intercepted a Dangote truck with registration number FZE-552-DA conveying 100 bags of foreign parboiled rice concealed beneath mica and gypsum stones.
Ibrahim further disclosed that on October 11, Customs operatives intercepted a 10-tyre truck with registration number AKL-456-XL, which was found to be conveying 321 military camouflage face caps and 27,831 units of various unregistered pharmaceutical products.
The seized products included codeine-containing cough syrup, injections, eye drops and supplements without National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration numbers.
Describing the interception as significant, Ibrahim said the items posed potential threats to public health and national security.
“These seizures of large consignments of unwholesome medicaments and restricted military camouflage caps may appear vastly different, but both represent severe threats to our national security, public safety and human well-being,” he said.
The Acting Controller also disclosed that five trucks associated with the major interceptions had a combined estimated value of N1.235 billion and would be forfeited to the Federal Government in accordance with Section 248 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
Other items seized during the period included 4,013 parcels of cannabis sativa, one wrap of Canadian Loud, 950 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 660 bags of foreign parboiled rice weighing 50 kilogrammes each, four bundles of used pneumatic tyres and 106 bales of second-hand clothing.
The list also featured 1,320 pairs of smuggled new shoes, 3,700 pairs of used shoes, 252 imported face caps, 1,250 foreign-used bags and 13 foreign-used vehicles.
The vehicles comprised a 2008 Hyundai Tucson, three 2013 Honda CR-V vehicles, a 2019 Toyota Venza, a 2022 Lexus LX 600, a 2013 Lexus ES 350, a 2013 Toyota Camry XLE, a 2006 Toyota Avensis Verso, a 2002 Peugeot 406, a 2009 Ford Galaxy and a 2006 Nissan Almera.
According to Ibrahim, the combined Duty Paid Value of all the seizures stood at N3,153,591,000, representing a major enforcement outcome within the first 15 days of his administration.
He described the seizure of cannabis as particularly disturbing, considering its implications for young people, public health and national security.
“These seizures highlight our zero-tolerance policy toward smuggling. We are removing illicit goods to safeguard public health and support local producers,” he said.
Ibrahim commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and support, while praising the officers and men of the command for their dedication and professionalism. He also acknowledged the contributions of sister security agencies, traditional institutions and youths to strengthening border security.
He warned smugglers and their collaborators to desist from illegal activities, stressing that the command would sustain its enforcement drive.
“Smugglers and their collaborators are hereby warned to steer clear of Ogun I Command. We remain vigilant, alert and ready to confront any threat to the economic and security interests of our nation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, commended Customs for the seizures, particularly the interception of cannabis and codeine-containing cough syrup, which he said posed serious public health concerns because of drug abuse among young people.
He also expressed concern over the discovery of military camouflage caps alongside the drugs, noting that the interception could help disrupt the supply chains of criminal elements. He reaffirmed the commitment of the NDLEA and other security agencies to joint operations against drug trafficking and cross-border crimes.
The NDLEA commander confirmed that the seized cannabis had been formally handed over to the agency for further investigation and necessary legal action. He added that the agency was pursuing the required approvals for the public destruction of seized drugs in accordance with the law.
