The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Idiroko Command, has intensified its anti-smuggling operations along Nigeria’s southwestern border, recording seizures worth ₦1.35 billion within six weeks in a renewed campaign against smuggling and economic sabotage.
Speaking during a press briefing in Idiroko, the Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, said the command had sustained strong operational momentum since his pledge on January 29, 2026, to wage a relentless battle against smuggling activities in the border corridor.
According to Afeni, the latest briefing was intended to provide an update on that commitment, with intelligence-led operations and coordinated patrols already yielding major interceptions.
Among the most significant seizures was a truck loaded with 2,539 kegs of smuggled vegetable oil, each containing 25 litres, intercepted on March 11, 2026, along the Agbara axis. The truck, bearing registration number APP470YD, was reportedly tracked and intercepted following credible intelligence.
Preliminary investigations, Customs said, revealed that the vegetable oil was smuggled into Nigeria through waterways using small boats before being transported inland by road.
In another major operation on March 4, 2026, Customs officers intercepted a Sino truck carrying 4,325 cartons of foreign spaghetti, each weighing 10 kilograms, underscoring what officials described as the persistent smuggling of staple food items into the country.
Afeni said the operations formed part of broader efforts to protect local industries, especially Nigeria’s vegetable oil producers, from unfair competition posed by illicit imports.
Other Seizures
Beyond food products, the command recorded multiple seizures across several categories of contraband within the six-week period. Items confiscated include:
- 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice
- 2,547 parcels of cannabis sativa
- 5,455 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) totaling 13,625 litres
- 4 live pangolins
- 36 cartons of cough syrup
- 8 packs of perfume oil
- 13 pieces of used tyres
- 5 bags of imported sugar
- 8 bales of second-hand clothing
- 15 sacks of used clothing
- 5 sacks of used handbags
- 2 sacks of used footwear
- Two used vehicles
- Two antiquities
The seized pangolins have since been transferred to the National Wildlife Conservation Centre for proper handling and preservation.
In a demonstration of inter-agency collaboration, the command also handed over 2,547 parcels of cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
Customs said the narcotics comprised 2,055 coconut-sized parcels weighing about 710 kilograms and 15 bread-sized parcels weighing approximately 381 kilograms. The handover was made to the Idiroko Special Command of the NDLEA.
Antiquities Moved to National Museum
The command also transferred two confiscated historical artifacts to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) after an expert appraisal confirmed their cultural significance.
According to Afeni, the antiquities will be preserved at the National Museum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to prevent the loss of valuable national heritage
Revenue, Export Activities Rise
Beyond enforcement, the command recorded notable gains in revenue generation and trade facilitation.
Within the six-week review period, the Idiroko Command generated ₦285,652,469 through baggage assessments and auction sales of seized petroleum products.
Afeni said the figure represented a significant increase compared to the corresponding period in 2025, reflecting improved operational efficiency and greater compliance with customs procedures.
Export activities also recorded a major turnaround, with the command facilitating the movement of 95 metric tonnes of goods valued at ₦305,749,064 Free-on-Board (FOB).
The Controller noted that the command recorded no export trade during the same period in 2025.
Warning to Smugglers
Afeni warned smugglers and their sponsors that the command would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations along the border.
“Smugglers may attempt new tactics, but with our intelligence network and strategic monitoring, we remain ahead of them,” he said.
He added that the operations align with the policy direction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the strategic leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
The Customs boss also acknowledged the support of traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies and the media in the ongoing campaign against economic sabotage.
“As we sustain strict enforcement of government fiscal policies, our goal remains clear — to encourage legitimate trade while making this command completely hostile to smugglers,” he added.
The Idiroko Command reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders, promoting lawful trade and strengthening national economic security through sustained enforcement operations.
