The Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the seizure of various contraband items, including illicit drugs, foreign rice, and corrosive chemicals, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦204.7m.
The Acting Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller NA Ogundeyi, made the disclosure on Thursday during the command’s third press briefing of the year at the headquarters in Ilorin.
According to Ogundeyi, the seizures were recorded between March 2026 and May 7 across several flashpoints in the state, including Bukuro, Okuta, Alapa, and the Lagos-Ilorin expressway.
A breakdown of the intercepted items revealed a worrying trend in the smuggling of dangerous substances. The command seized 376kg of Tramadol and 49.5kg of Cannabis (Indian Hemp).
Other items intercepted include: 155 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg) valued at ₦52.4m, 3,697 packages of foreign Macaroni with a DPV of ₦110.9m, 418 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 19 jerry cans of Corrosive Oxidizer Chemicals, 18 bales of secondhand clothing and 70 pieces of used tyres.
The Controller also noted the seizure of 5,925 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) intended for smuggling out of the country.
Despite the continued closure of the land borders with the Republic of Benin, Ogundeyi revealed that the command has maintained a steady revenue stream through excise factories and anti-smuggling duties.
“In the first quarter of 2026, the Command was able to generate Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Five Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-Three Thousand, One Hundred and Eighty-Two Naira (₦3,895,333,182.94),” he stated.
The DC attributed the recent successes to a paradigm shift in intelligence-driven operations and improved discipline following the redeployment of new leadership in the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) and the Customs Police Unit (CPU).
He praised the Comptroller General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for his visionary leadership and strategic backing.
“The Nigeria Customs Service Kwara Command under my watch will remain committed to ensuring that those engaged in illegal activities are brought to justice and that our national economic interests are safeguarded at all times,” Ogundeyi added.
The briefing concluded with the presentation of awards to officers and men of the command who distinguished themselves in various fields of operation, a move the Controller said would enhance performance and encourage them to do even more.
