Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, has intensified its crackdown on smuggling activities, recording a total of 161 seizures between January and March 2025. The seizures include firearms, ammunition, and large quantities of Cannabis Sativa, with a cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N314,057,716.

Speaking at a press briefing in Idiroko on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Muhammad Shuaibu, disclosed that the seizures were made across various locations including Abeokuta, Ilaro, and the Ipokia/Idiroko axis. He attributed the successful operations to enhanced intelligence-driven enforcement and a sustained anti-smuggling campaign.

Breakdown of the seizures includes three single-barrel long guns, four packs of 25 cartridges, 150 sacks of raw Cannabis Sativa, 10 cartons of Amoxicillin capsules, 7,242 bags of foreign parboiled rice, and four used vehicles. Other items confiscated include 20 bags each of imported sugar and flour, 59 bags of POP cement, 22 vehicles, sacks of cowries, 12 cartons of Ghana soap, 843 used tyres, and 535 kegs of 25-litre Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Comptroller Shuaibu also announced that the Command generated N43,412,794 in revenue from import duties and auction sales conducted under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), surpassing the first quarter of 2024 by N7.6 million.

Highlighting the Command’s commitment to community development, Shuaibu spoke on the recent launch of the "Customs Cares" initiative aimed at fostering positive relations with host communities. One such initiative, the “Festival of Art for Economic Development,” themed *‘Cross-Border Trade: What It Is and Why It Matters’*, was used to engage students, artisans, and stakeholders on the dangers of smuggling and the benefits of legal trade.

The intercepted cannabis was formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Receiving the items, Commander of the Idiroko Special Command, Segun Adeyeye, lauded the synergy between Customs and other security agencies. He emphasized the need for continued collaboration to combat drug abuse and illegal trafficking, describing it as a collective responsibility.

The Ogun I Area Command reiterated its resolve to sustain the momentum in anti-smuggling efforts while supporting lawful trade and economic growth.