The Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos Free Trade Zone Command, has intercepted a container laden with 400 kilograms of suspected Cannabis Sativa (“Loud”) valued at over ₦2.26 billion at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Briefing the newsmen on Thursday , 15th October, 2026, at the Lekki Freeport Terminal, the Deputy Comptroller Olufemi Kukoyi, Acting Area Controller, described the seizure as a “significant victory for public safety and national security,” stressing that illicit drugs fuel addiction, organized crime, and insecurity.
Acting on credible intelligence, officers halted the suspicious consignment, which was scheduled for onward movement to a bonded terminal outside the Command. A non-intrusive scan revealed anomalies, prompting a joint physical examination by Customs, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The inspection uncovered 400 packages of narcotics concealed among 798 reams of A4 printing paper.
The seized container has now been formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.
Kukoyi commended the vigilance of Customs officers and the cooperation of sister agencies, noting that the operation highlights the effectiveness of intelligence-led enforcement and inter-agency collaboration.
He also reaffirmed Customs’ commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while maintaining zero tolerance for smuggling and drug trafficking.
Kukoyi acknowledged the visionary leadership and unwavering support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Adewale Adeniyi, whose policy thrust on consolidation, collaboration and innovation continues to strengthen the operational capacity of the Service in the areas of trade facilitation, revenue generation and enforcement.
He stressed that the interception demonstrated the resolve to ensure Nigeria’s ports remain gateways to prosperity, not corridors for criminality.
The Controller urged port operators, shipping companies, clearing agents, and the public to remain vigilant and provide timely intelligence to security agencies.
Receiving the items, Jonah Achema, Commander of Narcotics (CN) Area Commander, NDLEA Lekki Port Area Command commended the cooperation that exists among the agencies, noting that the seizure of 400 kilograms of Cannabis indica imported from Thailand was a landmark achievement.
He noted that “Today’s event, coming barely few days after the take-over of the Customs Command by the new CAC sends a very strong signal that the CAC is ready to take inter-agency collaboration as well as the counter-narcotic onslaught to the next level. It sends the appropriate message to the unscrupulous maritime drug criminals that their operations will only end in the drag net of the Agency”.
Achema emphasized that the Command’s achievements align with the vision of NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), focused on “disrupting, dismantling, and defeating drug mercantile.” He added that Lekki Port is becoming “almost impervious to illicit drug shipments” thanks to intelligence-driven vigilance.
He added that the seizure being handed over, standing at 400 kilograms of Cannabis indica from Thailand is huge by all standards. This he noted “is coming after other phenomenal seizures in the Port such as two containers of illicit pharmaceutical opioids (tramadol 225, tramaking royal 250) with a total weight of 46 tonnes and an estimated street value of 35 Billion Naira”.
He assures the Controller and the entire Sister Agencies that the NDLEA will remain consistent and will continue to do everything to sustain the hard earned collaboration that has brought the streak of successes at the Command.
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