From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has intercepted smuggled goods with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV), of N604.33 million across various locations in the state.
The seizures, which included 3,396 packets of Tramadol, 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), used clothing and two high-value vehicles, were recorded along different operational corridors of the command.
The Acting Area Controller of the Kwara Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Ogundeyi, disclosed this at a press briefing, stressing that the command would not allow the state to become a safe haven or transit route for smuggling activities.
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Ogundeyi said the command’s operations were driven by actionable intelligence, sustained patrols and collaboration with other security agencies.
He said, “The Kwara Command would never become a safe haven or transit corridor for illicit cross-border trade. That stance remains uncompromising.”
The Acting Controller, who assumed duty on December 17, 2025, explained that the interception of food products should not be construed as opposition by Customs to food availability in the country.
According to him, the Service’s responsibility is to ensure compliance with laws regulating cross-border trade, particularly where goods are moved through unapproved routes, evade regulatory checks or lack the required documentation.
He said the illegal influx of foreign food products through porous borders could undermine government efforts to promote local agricultural production, protect domestic investments and strengthen the country’s value chain.
“Illegal influx of foreign food products through porous borders undermines Federal Government policies aimed at boosting local agricultural production, protecting domestic investments and safeguarding our local value chain,” he said.
Among the seizures were 80 bales and six sacks of used clothing intercepted along the Ogbomoso-Jebba axis, with a DPV of N32.3 million; 6,875 litres of PMS intercepted along the Bukuro-Okuta-Chikanda axis, valued at N2.75 million; and 3,396 packets of 100mg Tramadol intercepted along the Okuta axis, with a DPV of N50.946 million.
Customs also intercepted 14 bags of Basmati rice along the Bode-Saadu Expressway, valued at N350,000; 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti along the Bode-Saadu axis, with a DPV of N201.15 million; and 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice, valued at N25.245 million.
The command further seized a 2025 Toyota Highlander intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway, with a DPV of N214 million, and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT intercepted on the Lagos-Kwara highway at Eyenkorin, valued at N77.59 million.
Ogundeyi said the combined DPV of the eight seizures stood at N604,333,592.
He described the seizures as evidence of the changing tactics employed by smugglers, noting that criminal elements were increasingly diversifying their activities to include the movement of petroleum products, controlled pharmaceuticals, foreign food items and uncustomed vehicles.
On the Tramadol seizure, he said the interception underscored the importance of border enforcement in protecting public health, warning that the uncontrolled entry of regulated substances posed serious risks to public safety and national security.
He also explained that the seizure of 6,875 litres of PMS was aimed at preventing the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption into illicit border markets.
Beyond seizures, the command generated N7,978,338,031.21 in revenue during the period under review.
Ogundeyi said the revenue figure reflected the command’s commitment to maximising government revenue while balancing enforcement with legitimate trade facilitation.
He attributed the command’s operational successes to intelligence-led enforcement, commending personnel of the Intelligence Unit and Customs Police Unit, as well as other officers operating across the command’s challenging terrain.
He also acknowledged the support of sister security agencies, stressing that effective collaboration was essential to combating trans-border crimes.
“Trans-border crime cannot be fought in isolation; inter-agency cooperation remains central to our tactical execution,” he said.
The Acting Controller commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for his strategic direction and support to the command.
He appealed to border communities, traditional rulers, transporters and other stakeholders to regard border security as a collective responsibility by providing credible and timely information on suspicious activities.
“Legitimate trade will receive our maximum support, but smuggling will encounter uncompromising enforcement,” Ogundeyi said.
