The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command in Idiroko, has dealt a significant blow to organized smuggling syndicates operating within the state's border areas. The command announced the interception of illicit goods and contraband with a total value exceeding two billion naira.
Massive Haul of Seized Contraband
Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, revealed the details during his first official press briefing in Idiroko. The seized items represent a wide range of prohibited and restricted goods. The command confiscated 4,738 bags of foreign parboiled rice and 6,750 litres of petrol, commonly smuggled across the border.
In a more alarming discovery linked to the narcotics trade, operatives intercepted substantial quantities of hard drugs. These included 11 wraps of crystal methamphetamine weighing 12kg, 16 pieces of heroin weighing 16kg, and a massive 3,373 wraps of Cannabis Sativa weighing 1,502kg. The combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) for all seized items stands at a staggering N2.006 billion.
Intelligence-Led Operations and Inter-Agency Collaboration
Deputy Comptroller Afeni credited the success to a strategic shift towards intelligence-driven operations. He emphasized that improved surveillance techniques and stronger partnerships were key to disrupting the smuggling networks. "Our success is rooted in intensified intelligence-led operations, enhanced surveillance, and robust collaboration with sister security agencies and community stakeholders," Afeni stated.
Demonstrating this collaboration, the command formally handed over the 1,502kg of Cannabis Sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command. This handover was conducted in strict adherence to established inter-agency cooperation protocols and national security guidelines.
Revenue Generation and a Stern Warning to Smugglers
Despite its primary focus on border enforcement and anti-smuggling activities, the Ogun 1 Command also reported generating N27 million in revenue as of December 16, 2025. The acting Controller used the platform to issue a direct warning to individuals involved in smuggling activities.
He stressed that the command remains vigilant, resolute, and unwavering in its mandate to safeguard Nigeria's economic and security interests. Afeni urged smugglers and their accomplices to abandon their illegal trade, promising that officers would continue to operate with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity to protect the nation's borders.
The press event also served as an occasion to decorate over 50 officers of the command who had recently received promotions, boosting morale for the ongoing fight against smuggling.
