• Command records 10,110 tonnes of exports worth N2.59bn
The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its crackdown on smuggling along the Nigeria-Benin border corridor, seizing prohibited goods with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N6.043 billion while facilitating 10,110 metric tonnes of legitimate exports valued at N2.594 billion.
The command also disclosed that it had handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw Cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, between January and August 2026.
The Acting Customs Area Controller of Ogun I Command, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Afeni, said the figures reflected the command’s dual responsibility of protecting Nigeria’s economy from illicit trade while facilitating legitimate businesses and exports.
Afeni, a career anti-smuggling officer with about two decades of experience across challenging border commands, described smuggling as an economic and security threat capable of undermining local businesses, destroying jobs and frustrating government policies.
“No nation can grow when its borders are gateways for criminality,” he said, stressing that the command would continue to make the Ogun border corridor increasingly hostile to smugglers and economic saboteurs.
Among the goods intercepted by the command were foreign parboiled rice, basmati rice, foreign sugar, petroleum products, fertiliser, clothing, cosmetics, drinks and other prohibited items.
The command also seized 3,543 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of basmati rice, 9,928 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica, 30 bags of foreign sugar, 20,125 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in kegs, 1,750 litres of PMS in drums and 50 kegs of diesel, among other items.
A 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530, valued by Customs at N417 million, was also intercepted.
Afeni said the fight against rice smuggling was particularly important because the influx of foreign rice could undermine investments by Nigerian farmers and rice mills that had expanded production in response to the country’s push for greater food security.
He noted that farmers across several rice-producing states could be affected when smuggled foreign rice competes with locally produced alternatives.
Beyond rice, the Customs chief raised concerns over the movement of illicit drugs through the border corridor, describing narcotics trafficking as a major threat to communities and national security.
“The fight against drug smuggling is a collective responsibility. The Ogun I Command, under my leadership, remains resolute in its commitment to securing our borders and safeguarding our nation’s future,” Afeni said.
“These are not just numbers; these are millions of doses of devastation that would have otherwise flooded our communities, fueled violent crimes, and ruined the lives of our youth,” he added.
He stressed that effective cooperation between Customs, the NDLEA and other security agencies remained critical to disrupting drug-trafficking networks.
The command has also placed greater emphasis on intelligence gathering, technology and information from border communities in areas such as Ipokia, Yewa South, Yewa North and Imeko-Afon.
According to Afeni, intelligence from residents has helped Customs identify smuggling routes, warehouses and concealment methods used by criminal networks.
However, the Ogun I Command’s activities extend beyond seizures and enforcement.
The command recorded 10,110 metric tonnes of exports with a Free On Board (FOB) value of N2.594 billion, with white talc, crushed thermal coal and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) among the major commodities exported.
Afeni said the development demonstrated the role of the Customs Service in supporting legitimate trade and Nigeria’s non-oil export ambitions.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is not just a revenue-generating agency; we are the frontline shield protecting our domestic economy,” he said.
The command also generated N90.066 million in July from baggage assessments, auctions of perishable items, PMS and other charges, according to the reported briefing.
Afeni warned smugglers and other operators involved in prohibited trade that the command would continue to seize contraband, impound vehicles and process offenders in accordance with the law.
“We will continue to put them on their toes, hit them very hard by making Ogun I Command of the Nigeria Customs Service very hostile for smugglers and economic saboteurs,” he said.
He also urged traditional rulers, youth leaders and residents of border communities to support the anti-smuggling campaign by providing credible information on suspicious activities.
For the Ogun I Command, the figures underline the two sides of border management: stopping illicit trade while opening the corridor to legitimate commerce.
The challenge, however, remains sustaining intelligence-led surveillance, strengthening inter-agency cooperation and ensuring that legitimate traders can move their goods efficiently while prohibited consignments are kept out of the country.
