The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted contraband worth N6.77 billion within 41 days in a sweeping anti-smuggling operation along the Idiroko corridor in Ogun State, underscoring the scale of illicit cross-border trade threatening Nigeria’s economy and security.
The seizures, carried out by operatives of the Ogun I Area Command, included cannabis, foreign rice, petroleum products, expired food items, counterfeit pharmaceuticals and other prohibited goods.
Acting Customs Area Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, said the figures go beyond routine enforcement, describing them as part of a deliberate effort to dismantle entrenched smuggling networks.
“This isn’t just a seizure; it’s a preventive measure,” Afeni said during a briefing in Idiroko. “Without this intervention, our society would face a wave of drug-related crises that our already overstretched healthcare and rehabilitation systems cannot manage.”
Data from the Command showed that 73 seizures were recorded within the period, reflecting both the intensity of enforcement and the scale of smuggling activities across the porous border corridor linking Nigeria and the Benin Republic.
The most significant interception was 10,126 parcels of cannabis indica, popularly known as “Ghana Loud,” weighing 4,627 kilograms and valued at over N5 billion.
Afeni revealed that since January, the Command had seized more than 26,000 parcels of cannabis, pointing to a deeply embedded drug supply chain across West Africa.
Security analysts warn that narcotics trafficking in the region is increasingly linked to broader security threats, including armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping and potential terror financing.
Beyond drugs, customs operatives also seized 1,759 bags of foreign parboiled rice, despite federal restrictions on land border importation aimed at protecting local production.
“Rice is a staple food eaten in many homes in the country. Its importation through land borders was prohibited by the Federal Government to encourage local production and self-sufficiency,” Afeni said.
The Command also intercepted 14,550 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, highlighting the growing trend of fuel smuggling driven by price disparities following subsidy removal.
In addition, large quantities of vegetable oil were seized, including a DAF truck loaded with 2,185 kegs, bringing total seizures since Afeni assumed office to over 12,000 kegs.
The crackdown further exposed public health risks, with officers intercepting 77 cartons of Analgin injections lacking regulatory approval, as well as expired food products.
In a separate development, six live pangolins were recovered, signalling the growing intersection between smuggling and illegal wildlife trafficking.
Investigations revealed that the Idiroko axis is riddled with hundreds of unofficial routes, commonly known as “bush paths,” which smugglers exploit to move goods into Nigeria’s southwest markets.
Afeni noted that the Command has shifted from reactive patrols to intelligence-led operations, deploying surveillance tools and digital tracking systems in line with the service’s modernisation drive.
Despite the enforcement push, the Command generated N125.43 million in revenue and facilitated exports of goods valued at over N1 billion during the period, reflecting its dual role in trade facilitation and border security.
Afeni commended the collaboration of other security agencies, including the NDLEA, DSS, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Police, in sustaining operations along the corridor.
However, experts caution that smuggling remains deeply rooted, driven by poverty, demand gaps and price disparities across borders.
For now, the Idiroko border continues to serve as a critical frontline in Nigeria’s fight against economic sabotage, public health risks and transnational organised crime.
