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The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has stepped up its fight against smuggling while also facilitating legitimate trade and non-oil exports through the state’s border with the Republic of Benin.
The command, led by the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, said it was using intelligence, technology and frontline operations to disrupt smuggling networks and protect local businesses.
Ogun’s long border with Benin makes the state an important route for legitimate cross-border trade, but it also provides opportunities for smugglers to move prohibited goods into Nigeria.
Afeni said smuggling was not simply a means of survival, as some of its operators often claimed, but an activity that could hurt local businesses, cost jobs, reduce government revenue and threaten national security.
He said no country could develop when its borders were used as gateways for criminal activities, adding that the command would continue to make Ogun increasingly difficult for smugglers to operate.
One of the major areas of concern is the smuggling of foreign parboiled rice, which Customs said was hurting Nigerian farmers and rice processors.
Afeni said rice farmers in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions had invested heavily in production, while local rice mills had also committed billions of naira to processing.
He said the influx of smuggled foreign rice made it difficult for local producers to compete, threatening both jobs and investments in the sector.
“By Nigerians patronising smuggled foreign processed parboiled rice instead of locally processed rice, the country is not only exporting jobs to foreign rice-producing countries but worsening unemployment and poverty in our home country, Nigeria,” he said.
The Customs chief also raised concerns about the way some foreign rice brought into the country through illegal routes was stored and handled.
He said some of the rice, believed to have originated from Asian countries, was re-bagged under unhygienic conditions or kept for long periods in warehouses, which could affect its quality.
Afeni said smugglers were also adopting more sophisticated methods and using remote routes to move prohibited goods into Nigeria.
He said Customs was responding with intelligence gathering, technology and stronger operations.
“Our intelligence networks, technological integration, and the raw determination of our officers on the frontline have proven superior,” Afeni said.
Between July 17 and September 17, the command seized foreign rice, illicit drugs, petroleum products, clothing, used vehicles and other prohibited goods.
The seized items included 3,543 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of basmati rice, 9,928 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica, 30 bags of foreign sugar, 2,674 pieces of new shorts and trousers, 3,760 pieces of new tops and 91 bales of second-hand clothing.
Others were 20,125 litres of Premium Motor Spirit in kegs, 1,750 litres of PMS in drums, 50 kegs of diesel, 100 bags of fertiliser, 85 fire extinguishers, 480 cartons of Pure Haven drinks, 53 packages of oats, 47 cartons of cosmetics, 36 packages of hair accessories, seven packages of surgical shoes and 127 new purses.
The command also seized a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530, valued by Afeni at N417 million.
The total Duty Paid Value of the seized goods was put at N6.043 billion.
Afeni said the seizures were not only about the monetary value of the goods but also about protecting local businesses, government revenue and national security.
He said the fight became even more important when the goods involved were narcotics.
Between January and August 13, 2026, Ogun I Command handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw Cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s Idiroko Special Command.
Afeni described the fight against drug trafficking as a joint responsibility among security agencies.
“The fight against drug smuggling is a collective responsibility. The Ogun I Command, under my leadership, remains resolute in its commitment to securing our borders and safeguarding our nation’s future,” he said.
He added that the seized drugs represented a serious threat to communities.
“These are not just numbers; these are millions of doses of devastation that would have otherwise flooded our communities, fueled violent crime, and ruined the lives of our youth,” he said.
According to him, Customs is responsible for intercepting and seizing the drugs and arresting suspects, while specialised agencies such as the NDLEA handle further investigations and prosecution.
“The true victory lies in seamless inter-agency collaboration as no single agency can secure our nation alone,” he said.
Customs is also relying on information from border communities to fight smuggling.
The command operates across communities including Ipokia, Yewa South, Yewa North and Imeko-Afon, where residents have useful knowledge of the terrain, smuggling routes and movements around the border.
Afeni said intelligence from the communities, combined with technology and operational efforts, had helped the command disrupt the supply chains of smugglers.
But the Ogun I Command’s activities go beyond seizures and arrests. It is also facilitating legitimate trade and supporting Nigeria’s drive to increase non-oil exports.
Between January and the period under review, the command recorded 10,110 metric tonnes of exports with a Free On Board value of N2.594 billion.
The major export commodities included white talc, crushed thermal coal and Compressed Natural Gas.
The figures highlight the potential of Ogun’s border corridors to support Nigeria’s non-oil economy by helping locally produced goods reach international markets.
Afeni said Customs had a wider responsibility beyond revenue collection and anti-smuggling operations.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is not just a revenue-generating agency; we are the frontline shield protecting our domestic economy,” he said.
The command also generated N180.066 million in the two months under review through baggage assessments, auctions of perishable goods, PMS and other charges.
The revenue forms part of Customs’ wider responsibility of ensuring that applicable duties and charges are collected through the formal system.
Afeni said the command would maintain its pressure on smugglers and ensure that those caught with prohibited goods faced the law.
“We will continue to put them on their toes, hit them very hard by making Ogun I Command hostile for them,” he said.
However, the fight against smuggling will require more than seizures. Sustained investment in border surveillance, intelligence, technology and personnel, as well as closer cooperation among Customs, the NDLEA and other security agencies, will remain important.
Support from border communities and a reduction in demand for smuggled goods will also be critical, as the availability of a profitable market continues to create incentives for illegal trade.
