Ogun Customs intercepts arms, ammunition, explosives, others worth N721.45m

The Ogun Area 1 command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday said it intercepted 2,128 live cartridges, 1,315 explosives, hard drugs including methamphetamine and heroin, as well as locally made guns and revolver pistols.

The Acting Controller of the Command, Oladapo Afeni, who disclosed this while at a press conference in Idiroko, handed over the seized arms and ammunition to the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Abiodun Alamutu.

He added that the command generated and remitted N454,672,406 to the Federation and Non-Federation Accounts in 2025, stressing that the revenue generated in 2025 was a-47 per cent increase on the N275,835,602 generated and remitted by the command in 2024.

While saying that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) on the contraband intercepted and seized in 2025 was N4 billion, the Acting Controller said the command has continued the upward trend in 2026, generating N106 million between January 1 and January 28, 2026, representing an 84.3 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025.

He attributed the performance to the diligence of officers, the cooperation of compliant traders, baggage assessment collections, and proceeds from the auction of seized petroleum products.

Speaking on the command’s anti-smuggling operations, he disclosed that the command recorded about 497 seizures in 2025 through intelligence-driven operations and inter-agency collaboration.

Items intercepted included 22,725 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 2,669 kegs of premium motor spirit, 2,128 cartridges, 13,332 parcels of cannabis sativa, used clothing, foreign used vehicles and tractors, tyres, vegetable oil, tomato paste, sugar, insecticides, spaghetti, explosives, firearms, heroin and motorcycles used as means of conveyance.

He said the total Duty Paid Value of seizures in 2025 stood at N4.03 billion, up from N1.7 billion in the previous year, an increase of about N2.3 billion.

“These achievements are a testament to the commitment of our officers to combat smuggling activities, protecting the economy and safeguarding the well-being of society,” he stated.

Speaking on the 2026 operations, Afeni disclosed that the command intercepted 1,042 bags of smuggled rice, 3,738 parcels of cannabis sativa, 780 used tyres, locally made rifles, cartridges, 473 kegs of PMS, used vehicles, suspected unregistered pharmaceutical products, and traditional carvings suspected to be antiquities between January 1 and 29, 2026.

He put the Duty Paid Value on the seizures at N721.45 million.

The customs boss, however, raised concerns over the rising seizures of arms, ammunition and narcotics, expressing worry that such items, if allowed into circulation, could worsen the insecurity situation in the country.

He emphasised that arms and ammunition are on the absolute prohibition list of the Nigeria Customs Common External Tariff.

Afeni handed over the cannabis sativa to Commander Ekundayo William of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while the arms and ammunition were handed to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

He also released the unfit pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Afeni expressed displeasure at incessant attacks on customs officers in the border areas, particularly the Okokun border area, by suspected smugglers who also damaged operational vehicles.

“Attacking our officers will not deter the command from performing its legitimate duties. Such actions will no longer be tolerated,” he warned.

He called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and youths to shun smuggling, especially narcotics and arms trafficking, and urged the public to provide credible intelligence to support customs operations.

The Customs Area Controller commended officers and men of his command for their professionalism and dedication, assuring that the command would remain resolute in revenue generation, trade facilitation and the fight against smuggling in 2026.

While receiving the illegal arms and ammunition, the Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), and former Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Abiodun Alamutu, commended the gallantry of customs operatives, highlighting the continued synergy to combat smuggling activities.

He assured that all intercepted firearms and ammunition would be documented accordingly.

The NDLEA Commander, Ekundayo Williams, while receiving the cannabis and other narcotic items, noted that fighting against illicit drugs and substances is not limited to the NDLEA alone, but a collaborative effort of other security agencies.

He commended men and officers of the Ogun Area 1 Customs Command for their diligence, adding that all received items would be documented.

“We are going to have an investigation on it and see if it leads to any further suspicion to break the distribution chain,” he submitted.