The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted prohibited items with a Duty Paid Value of ₦3,574,435,248.08 and formally handed over 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica and other narcotics to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA
Disclosing this to newsmen on Thursday, 13th August 2026, during a press briefing by the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Oladapo Afeni, at the Command Headquarters in Idiroko, said the briefing was convened to update the public on the Command’s campaign against smuggling and to execute a critical inter-agency handover that underscores national security collaboration.
In his words, “I stand before you today not just as the Customs Area Controller, but as a concerned citizen who cares deeply about the economic stability, health, and security of our nation”.
The CAC described smuggling as more than a commercial venture, stating that it directly attacks local production and national self-sufficiency.
“When foreign rice is smuggled into our markets, it undermines our local farmers and agricultural investors. Our government and local entrepreneurs have invested billions to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Unimpeded smuggling forces local mills to close and leaves our farmers bankrupt,” he explained.
He noted that agriculture is a major employer of youth, and that patronizing smuggled goods “effectively exports jobs to other countries while worsening unemployment and poverty at home.”
He also warned that smuggled foreign rice is often re-bagged under unhygienic conditions or stored for years beyond safe consumption dates.
DC Afeni said the Command is operating under the mandate of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, with enhanced intelligence, technology and enforcement.
“In recent months, this Command has recorded an unprecedented wave of constant, back-to-back seizures of foreign parboiled rice and illicit drugs. Smugglers and enemies of the state are becoming more desperate, employing highly sophisticated concealment methods,” he said.
He stated that the Command’s intelligence networks and officers have dismantled smuggling networks and “will continue to put them on their toes, hit them very hard by making Ogun I Command hostile for them.”
Among the items displayed during the briefing were 2,339 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of basmati rice, 30 bags of foreign sugar weighing 50kg each, 67 bales of second-hand clothing and other imported goods considered prohibited or improperly brought into the country.
The command also intercepted 11,450 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) stored in kegs, 1,750 litres of PMS in drums and 30 kegs of diesel, each containing 25 litres.
Other seized items included 100 bags of fertilizer, 2,674 pieces of new shorts and trousers, 3,760 pieces of new tops, 85 fire extinguishers, 480 cartons of Pure Haven drinks, 53 packages of oats, 47 cartons of cosmetics, 36 packages of hair accessories, three packages of surgical shoes and 127 new purses.
He urged the media to partner in sensitization and to verify reports to avoid confusing legitimate trade with illicit activity.
Major highlight of the briefing was the formal handover of seized narcotic substances to the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.
The items included 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica, a potent cannabis variety, which customs officers intercepted during their operations.
Afeni warned that the smuggling of cannabis and other illicit drugs was not a victimless crime, noting that drug trafficking could fuel addiction, violence and other forms of criminality, while exposing young Nigerians to serious social and economic consequences.
He emphasised that the fight against illicit drugs required sustained collaboration among security and law-enforcement agencies, describing the battle as a “relay race” in which no single agency could secure the country alone.
Afeni appealed to traditional rulers, youth leaders and citizens to report suspicious activities, and urged Nigerians to patronize local rice, oil, wine and pasta to support jobs and food security.
He commended the officers of the Command for their dedication and appreciated the CGC for “dynamic leadership, unflinching support, and consistent encouragement.”
“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,” he concluded.
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