Ogun I Customs Intercepts 2026 Range Rover, 3,893 Cannabis Indica, Other Smuggled Goods Worth N2.5bn

…Hands Over Seized Cannabis to NDLEA for Further Investigation 

ZAINAB JUNAID

Operatives of the Ogun I Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), have dealt severe blow to illicit trade networks operating across the jurisdiction, seizing prohibited items worth approximately N2.5bn in an anti-smuggling operation carried out between August and September 2026.

The Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, disclosed this at a press briefing held at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko on Thursday, 17 September 2026, where he presented a performance review covering August to September 2026.

Afeni described the total Duty Paid Value of N2,469,153,523.68, as proof of the command’s “uncompromising zero-tolerance policy for border economic sabotage.”

A breakdown of the seizures are:

1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice

3,893 parcels of cannabis indica, weighing 1.878 tonnes

428 pieces of pneumatic tyres

8,675 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in kegs

24 bales of secondhand clothing

4 sacks of used shoes

500 litres of diesel in kegs

 

According to the DC, the highlights of the interception was the 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530, valued at ₦417,011,982 (Four Hundred and Seventeen Million, Eleven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Two Naira).

Afeni said the command sustained legitimate trade facilitation despite economic challenges along Nigeria’s land borders, optimising import and export verification frameworks to fast-track compliant trade while enforcing strict regulatory oversight on sensitive goods, including mica stone, compressed natural gas (CNG), white talc and crushed thermal coal.

According to him, the command had, over the past 10 months, held high-level joint engagements with the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, the NDLEA and environmental management agencies to harmonise operations and counter cross-border crime along Ogun’s border corridors.

He said the command also sustained dialogue with traditional rulers, youth leaders and border community associations to build trust and reduce friction during enforcement.

The DC informed that the command’s engagement extended beyond enforcement to community development and environmental stewardship, noting that the command emerged champion in volleyball at the Inter-Command Athletic Competitions held in August and September 2026.

Afeni commended the officers and men of the command, as well as host communities, traditional rulers and media partners, for their cooperation.

He further credited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, and the NCS management team for their support, stressing that the Ogun I Command “will continue to be a hostile zone for uncustomed goods and illicit trade.”

 

Meanwhile, in a show of interagency cooperation, the command handed over the seized cannabis to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation.

Receiving the exhibit on behalf of NDLEA, the Commander of Narcotics, Idiroko Special Command, Akande Olasunbo Oluwafemi, commended the Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), under the leadership of the Deputy Comptroller, Oladapo Afeni, for the interception of 3,893 parcels of cannabis indica, which weighs 1.878 tonnes, at Idiroko border, stressing the need for sustained collaboration among security and law enforcement agencies.

He said discussions with the Customs leadership had raised concerns over the increasing volume of hard drugs being intercepted, noting that the agencies would not allow Idiroko to become a route for illicit drugs into Nigeria.

“We have made Idiroko a no-go area, no passage for drugs,” he said.

Oluwafemi d that the NDLEA could not be everywhere, but the presence of Customs, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) in different locations had helped strengthen the collective fight against drug trafficking.

Speaking on behalf of the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), he commended the Customs officers for what he described as their patriotism and commitment to protecting Nigerians.

He said the volume of drugs intercepted and handed over to the NDLEA, which he said was close to 20 tonnes, would have posed a serious concern if it had reached its intended destination.

“We have enough that we are bothering with. We should not add the issue of drugs to these issues,” he stressed.

He called on journalists, residents of the border communities and other stakeholders to support the campaign against drug abuse and trafficking, and also urged Nigerians to help block the movement of illicit drugs, warning that the proliferation of drugs could have implications for the future of the country, particularly among young people.

To him, the involvement of stakeholders, including religious organisations and community members, in public awareness and sensitisation efforts will help curtail drug abuse.

The commander noted that sustained collaboration among government agencies and the wider society is necessary to address the problem of illicit drugs in Nigeria.