By RismadarVoice Reporters
January 3, 2026
Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service Apapa Area Command, in close collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, have foiled a major attempt to smuggle hard drugs into Nigeria through the Apapa Port, intercepting 30.1 kilograms of cocaine concealed aboard a foreign vessel.
RismadarVoice gathered that the seizure followed a carefully coordinated intelligence led operation carried out on the first working day of the new year at the Greenview Terminal, Apapa.
The illicit substance, packaged in 30 slabs, was discovered hidden onboard MV Aruna, a vessel flying the flag of the Marshall Islands.
Confirming the operation in a statement issued today, the Public Relations Officer of the command, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman, said the successful interception was the result of heightened vigilance, effective inter agency cooperation at the nation’s busiest seaport.
Speaking on the development, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, praised the professionalism and alertness of officers involved in the joint operation, describing the seizure as a clear signal of intensified enforcement activities in 2026.
He stated that criminal networks continue to explore new methods to evade detection, but Customs officers remain proactive determined to stay ahead of smugglers, whether illicit consignments are disguised as imports, exports or transit cargo.
Comptroller Oshoba further stressed that the Apapa Area Command operates a zero tolerance policy against narcotics, all forms of prohibited trade, while maintaining its mandate of facilitating legitimate commerce through the port.
In line with established procedures, the seized cocaine has been formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and prosecution of suspects linked to the shipment.
RismadarVoice reports that the interception is the third major drug seizure recorded through joint operations between the Nigeria Customs Service and the NDLEA in recent weeks. About two weeks earlier, both agencies uncovered 25.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in five bags aboard another foreign vessel following actionable intelligence.
Earlier, on December 11, 2025, the joint team also seized 1,187 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a high grade strain of cannabis, packed in 2,374 parcels across 55 bags and hidden inside imported vehicles within a forty foot container.
Authorities have reiterated their determination to sustain the tempo of enforcement, warning that Nigeria’s seaports will remain under strict surveillance, hostile to drug traffickers, other criminal networks in 2026 and beyond.
