The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, has recorded 43 seizures of smuggled goods worth ₦3.15 billion in duty-paid value within 15 days of Comptroller Abdulhamid Ibrahim assuming leadership of the command.
The seizures, which included foreign pasta, rice, unregistered drugs, cannabis sativa, petroleum products, used vehicles, footwear and second-hand clothing, were disclosed by Ibrahim during his maiden press briefing held in Idiroko, Ogun State, on October 15, 2026.
Ibrahim, who assumed office on September 29, 2026, said the achievements resulted from intensified surveillance, intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with sister security agencies and community stakeholders.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating smuggling, protecting public health, safeguarding national security and enforcing compliance with Nigeria’s trade laws.
According to him, the command intercepted three trucks conveying foreign pasta and condensed milk on October 2, 2026, at about 4:30 a.m., following intelligence received by a patrol team.
The trucks were taken to the command headquarters in Idiroko for physical examination in accordance with Section 227 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The first truck, a Sino Howo with registration number MSW-232-XA, was found to contain 2,740 cartons of foreign Siddo pasta concealed with 500 cartons of Oki condensed milk.
The second truck, a Howo with registration number TFA-674-XA, conveyed 6,000 cartons of foreign Ginny pasta, while the third, an Iveco Elco truck with registration number KMC-702-ZR, contained 6,500 cartons of foreign Doga pasta.
In another operation on October 4, 2026, at about 1:34 a.m., along the Afamin–Dangote–Itori axis, officers intercepted a Dangote truck with registration number FZE-552-DA conveying 100 bags of foreign parboiled rice concealed beneath mica and gypsum stones.
The command also intercepted a 10-tyre truck with registration number AKL-456-XL on October 11. A physical examination reportedly uncovered 321 army camouflage face caps and 27,831 units of assorted unregistered medicines, including codeine cough syrup, injections, eye drops and supplements without National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration numbers.
Ibrahim said the seizure of unregistered medicines and restricted military-style camouflage items raised serious concerns about public health and national security.
He added that the five trucks involved in the highlighted operations, alongside their contents, were valued at approximately ₦1.235 billion and would be forfeited to the Federal Government in line with Section 248 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
Other seizures recorded during the period included 4,013 units 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, 106 bales of second-hand clothing, 1,320 pairs of smuggled new shoes, 3,700 pairs of used shoes, 252 imported face caps and 1,250 foreign-used bags.
The command also seized 13 foreign-used vehicles, including Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, Toyota Venza, Lexus LX 600, Lexus ES 350, Toyota Camry, Toyota Avensis Verso, Peugeot 406, Ford Galaxy and Nissan Almera models.
The total duty-paid value of all the seizures was put at ₦3,153,591,000.
The Customs controller described the seizure of cannabis as particularly troubling because of its potential implications for young people, public health and national security.
As part of efforts to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, Ibrahim announced that the seized cannabis sativa would be formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further action.
He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and support, while praising officers and men of the Ogun I Area Command for their commitment to the service’s anti-smuggling operations.
He also acknowledged the contributions of sister security agencies, traditional institutions, youths and the media to security and enforcement efforts in the area.
Ibrahim warned smugglers and their collaborators to desist from illegal activities, stressing that the command would sustain its intelligence-driven operations.
He said the command remained committed to protecting Nigeria’s economic and security interests through professionalism, integr
ity and effective enforcement of customs laws.
