Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, has delivered a crushing blow to smuggling syndicates operating across the state, intercepting contraband with a combined Duty Paid Value of N604,333,592 and generating N7,978,338,031.21 in revenue for the Federal Government. The Acting Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, disclosed the seizures during a press briefing at the command's headquarters in Ilorin on Thursday, September 10, 2026, warning that Kwara would never become a safe haven or transit corridor for illicit cross-border trade.
The operation, which spanned January to August 2026, was driven by actionable intelligence, sustained patrols, and collaboration with other security agencies. The seizures were made along various operational corridors, including the Ogbomoso-Jebba axis, the Bukuro-Okuta-Chikanda route, the Okuta axis, the Bode-Saadu Expressway, and the Lagos-Kwara highway at Eyenkorin. Ogundeyi described the seizures as evidence of the changing tactics employed by smugglers, noting that criminal elements were increasingly diversifying their activities to include petroleum products, controlled pharmaceuticals, foreign food items, and uncustomed vehicles.
Among the items seized were 3,396 packets of 100mg Tramadol, valued at N50.946 million and intercepted along the Okuta axis. The Acting Controller described the interception as a significant public health and security concern, saying the illegal entry of controlled substances posed risks beyond revenue loss. He stressed that the interception demonstrated the importance of border enforcement in preventing unregulated pharmaceuticals from entering the country. Also seized were 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti with a Duty Paid Value of N201.15 million, intercepted along the Bode-Saadu axis, and 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice valued at N25.245 million. Fourteen bags of Basmati rice, valued at N350,000, were also intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway.
The command also intercepted 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit valued at N2.75 million along the Bukuro-Okuta-Chikanda axis. Ogundeyi explained that the enforcement action was aimed at preventing the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption into illicit border markets. Additionally, 80 bales and six sacks of used clothing valued at N32.3 million were intercepted along the Ogbomoso-Jebba axis. Two high-value vehicles were also seized: a 2025 Toyota Highlander intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway with a Duty Paid Value of N214 million, and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT intercepted on the Lagos-Kwara highway at Eyenkorin, valued at N77.59 million.
Ogundeyi, 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. He said 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 expressed concern that 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.
The Acting Controller stressed that the command's enforcement activities were not targeted at legitimate food trade but at stopping the movement of goods through unapproved routes and without the required documentation. "When goods are moved through unapproved routes, bypass regulatory checks or lack proper documentation, the Service is legally mandated to intervene," Ogundeyi said. He added that allowing smuggled food products into the country would put compliant traders at a disadvantage because smugglers avoided the duties and regulatory requirements imposed on legitimate importers. He also warned that the command would not allow the state to become a safe haven for smugglers, describing the seizures as evidence of the changing tactics employed by criminal elements.
On revenue generation, Ogundeyi said the command generated N7.978 billion during the period under review. He described the figure as a reflection of the command's commitment to maximising revenue for the Federal Government while maintaining its responsibilities for trade facilitation and national security. The revenue was generated between January and August 2026, and Ogundeyi said it demonstrated the command's balanced operational focus on revenue generation and enforcement. He added that the command's operations were driven by actionable intelligence, sustained patrols, and collaboration with other security agencies, and that the interception of the seized items was a testament to the effectiveness of those strategies.
The briefing comes amid growing concerns over the proliferation of smuggled goods in Nigeria, particularly foreign food items that compete with local products and undermine government efforts to boost domestic agricultural production. The Nigeria Customs Service has consistently maintained that smuggling poses a threat to national security, public health, and economic development, and that its enforcement activities are aimed at protecting legitimate businesses and consumers. The Kwara Area Command's latest seizures and revenue generation figures underscore the scale of the challenge facing customs officers in the North-Central region, where porous borders and vast ungoverned spaces provide opportunities for criminal networks to move illicit goods with relative ease. Ogundeyi's warning that Kwara will not become a safe haven or transit corridor for smuggling is a clear signal that the command is prepared to sustain its enforcement activities, and the coming months will test whether that resolve can be maintained in the face of a resilient and adaptive criminal enterprise.
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