The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, has confirmed a second violent attack on its officers within one week, following an ambush by suspected smugglers during a routine anti-smuggling operation in Ogun State.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Zakari Chado, in a press statement said the attacks were a direct response to intensified anti-smuggling operations across the Command’s area of responsibility.apprehend all those
The latest incident occurred at about 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, 31 January 2026, along a bush path at Alapoti in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area. Customs officers on patrol intercepted motorcycles conveying smuggled foreign parboiled rice and seized 46 bags of 50kg rice before evacuating the items in an official patrol vehicle.
However, while withdrawing from the area, the officers were reportedly ambushed by a large mob armed with dangerous weapons, including Dane guns, stones, bottles, and charms, in what appeared to be a coordinated attempt to recover the seized items. The officers repelled the attack after an intense confrontation that lasted about 30 minutes.
During the incident, one of the attackers sustained fatal injuries, while a suspect who claimed ownership of the seized rice was arrested and is currently undergoing investigation. involved in the
The Command also reassured residents of Ogun State of its resolve to sustain anti-smuggling operations in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, while urging members of the public to support lawful enforcement efforts and refrain from actions that undermine national security.
