From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has generated over N3.89 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026, despite the continued closure of Nigeria’s land borders with the Republic of Benin.
Acting Area Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Ogundeyi, disclosed this during the third press briefing of the command held in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Ogundeyi said the command recorded a total revenue generation of N3,895,333,182.94 between January and March 2026, noting that the feat was achieved mainly through excise duties from factories and intensified anti-smuggling operations.
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He attributed the successes recorded by the command to the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adeniyi, as well as improved intelligence-driven operations within the command.
According to him, “I wish to express my profound appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his visionary leadership and unwavering support towards the successes of our operations.”
The acting controller also commended officers and men of the command, particularly the newly redeployed heads of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) and Customs Police Unit (CPU), for improving operational discipline and intelligence gathering.
Speaking on anti-smuggling activities, Ogundeyi revealed that the command carried out several successful interceptions across notorious smuggling routes in Kwara and adjoining areas between March 2026 and date.
The affected areas, he said, include Bukuro axis, Gurumi, Sikira, Okuta, Boriya, Tewu, Bero, Sango, Okeoyi Road, Alapa, Malete, Bani, Offa, Idofian Road, Lagos-Ilorin Expressway and Eiyenkorin axis.
He explained that the locations remained under close surveillance because smugglers frequently use them for illegal trade and movement of prohibited goods.
Among the seized items were 155 bags of foreign parboiled rice with a duty paid value (DPV) of N52.4 million, 3,697 packages of macaroni pasta valued at N110.9 million, and 418 jerry cans of vegetable oil worth N27.1 million.
Other intercepted items included 70 pieces of second-hand tyres valued at N1.4 million, 237 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit containing 5,925 litres worth N2.37 million, 18 bales of second-hand clothing valued at N5.1 million, and 19 jerry cans of corrosive oxidiser chemicals with a DPV of N792,439.
The command also seized 49.5 kilograms of cannabis valued at over N4 million and 376 kilograms of tramadol with a DPV of N564,000.
Ogundeyi stated that the command recorded nine different seizures within the period under review, with a cumulative duty paid value of N204,763,439.
“These achievements underscore the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to combating illegal trade and smuggling of uncustomed goods, thereby protecting national revenue and ensuring that only legitimate trade can thrive,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that the service would continue to deploy proactive and intelligence-based strategies to safeguard the nation’s borders and economy.
The acting controller also appealed to residents of border communities to support the service with useful information that could aid its operations.
“We call on members of the public, especially those in border communities, to support our efforts by providing timely and credible information. Such cooperation is vital in sustaining the successes recorded so far,” Ogundeyi added.
He further vowed that the command would remain committed to ensuring that smugglers and economic saboteurs are brought to justice.
