(Seizes contrabands. Photo by Vanguard News)
The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated ₦259.78 million in revenue and seized smuggled goods valued at ₦4.63 billion between April 1 and June 23, 2026.
Acting Customs Area Controller Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Idiroko on Wednesday, said the revenue figure represented a 238 per cent increase over the ₦76.81 million recorded during the same period in 2025.
The command recorded 146 seizures during the period, covering foreign parboiled rice, cannabis, petroleum products, used tyres, footwear and other prohibited items.
Notable interceptions included a truck intercepted on June 3 along the Ijebu-Ode axis carrying 2,427 smuggled pneumatic tyres concealed under the guise of a vehicle marked “For Sale,” and another on June 16 along the Itori-Wasimi-Abeokuta corridor transporting 113 bags of foreign rice hidden beneath bags of cement.
In the latter case, the driver attempted to ram into a patrol vehicle before being brought to a halt and arr£sted. A third truck carrying 630 bags of foreign rice was also intercepted on June 14 along the Afamin-Igbogila axis.
Among the full list of seized items were 2,807 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 9,482 parcels of cannabis, 62 sacks of raw marijuana, over 16,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 7,642 pairs of footwear, 2,427 pneumatic tyres, 63 sacks of foreign sugar, 73 bales of second-hand clothing, 62 bags of imported flour, 32 cartons of frozen products and 100 sachets of tramadol tablets.
On the export side, the command facilitated the export of 20,972 metric tonnes of goods valued at ₦1.049 billion during the review period a significant improvement from the same period in 2025, when no export activity was recorded. Growth was driven largely by exports of white talc, crushed thermal coal and compressed natural gas.
The command also handed over seized cannabis consignments to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and transferred pharmaceutical products including tramadol tablets and analgin injections to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for further action.
Afeni noted that joint border security operations are ongoing along the Nigeria–Benin Republic border, involving multiple security and regulatory agencies targeting criminal hideouts around the Idiroko-Igolo corridor.
