Ogun 1 Customs Intensifies Anti Smuggling Fight, Hands over 3,365 parcels, 75 Sacks of Cannabis Sativa
Ogun 1 Customs Intensifies Anti Smuggling Fight, Hands over 3,365 parcels, 75 Sacks of Cannabis Sativa
By Jerry Aguigbo
In a relentless war against Smuggling, the Nigeria Customs Service Ogun 1 Command has heightened it’s efforts to tighten grips on all wrongly imported goods, contrabands, including illicit drugs and unwholesome pharmaceuticals.
Leveraging onthe Customs Service Act, 2024, specifically sections 6, 212, 226, 233, and 245, which grants Customs officers significant powers, including the authority to patrol freely, seize smuggled goods, detain contraband items, condemn illegal goods, and enter premises.Showcasing these recent seizures while handing over the Narcotics to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) in Abeokuta yesterday, Comptroller Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu, the Area Controller, Ogun 1 Command says, “these legal powers have been crucial in enabling us to perform our duties with efficacy. Since assuming office at the Command, we have implemented various strategies that have resulted in numerous successful seizures.”
These seizures as shown to be the public are:
Smuggled Foreign Rice: 2,145 Bags, which is more than 4 trailers load of rice.
b. Second-Hand Clothing: 612 Bales.
c. Used Tires: 843 Pieces.
d. Premium Motor Spirit (PMS): 6,625 litres which has been auctioned due to its combustible nature.
e. Cannabis Sativa in coconut sizes: 1,057 Parcels.
f. Cannabis Sativa in bread sizes: 159 Parcels.
g. Cannabis Sativa in book sizes: 2,074 Parcels.
h. Cannabis Sativa in sacks: 75 Sacks. This brings the total marijuana seized to 3,365 parcels and 75 sacks weighing 3,103.3kg.
The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the entire seizures amount to N279,595,038.00.
The Command also generated a total of N9,694,072 as revenue from baggage assessment and auction sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). “This contribution to the national revenue is an important aspect of our duty to support the financial objectives of the Federal Government. In a bid to upscale the revenue profile of the Command, and by extension to enhance the economic growth as well as national security of the nation.” Controller Shuaibu used the opportunity to highlight the gains of the recent stakeholders’ meeting held on 3 March 2025. According to him, “during the meeting, we convened a crucial dialogue on the challenges affecting the free flow of legitimate cross-border trade. The meeting, hosted by Ogun 1 Command, brought together Customs officers from Ogun 1 and Benin, Secretary-General Inter-Border Security Forum, security agencies, and clearing agents from both Nigeria and the Benin Republic. This engagement was pivotal in identifying solutions to enhance trade and security at the Benin Republic-Idiroko border corridor.
This meeting he said, resulted in the seizures and handing over of 3,365 parcels and 75 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 3,103.3kg, as well as 88 cartons of codeine cough syrup, which have been seized by Ogun 1 Command operatives. These illicit drugs were handed over today to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Ogun State Command for proper disposal and further investigation.
“The items being handed over reflect the ongoing efforts of the Command to curb the distribution of illegal narcotics within the country, which pose significant threats to the health and safety of our citizens.These actions send a clear and unequivocal message to those who engage in illegal activities: the operatives of Ogun 1 Command will continue to carry out their statutory responsibilities with dedication, ensuring that such illegal enterprises do not thrive in our area of responsibility. We will remain relentless in our fight against smugglers. Every tactic employed by criminals to circumvent security checks will be futile, as our intelligence network, systematic monitoring, and operational mechanisms are robust and effective in identifying and tracking these economic saboteurs and their sponsors. Our primary focus will always remain on ensuring that our borders are secure and that national interests are protected. This also includes ensuring compliance with international trade agreements and safeguarding our national security.”
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