RismadarVoice Reporters
September 11, 2026
The Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted contraband goods with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N604.33m and generated N7.98bn revenue for the Federal Government.
The Acting Area Controller of the command, Najeem Ogundeyi, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Ilorin.
Ogundeyi said the seizures were made through various operational routes across the state as part of efforts to curb smuggling, protect government revenue, promote legitimate trade and strengthen national security.
Items intercepted by the command included 80 bales and six sacks of used clothing, 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 3,396 packets of 100mg Tramadol, 14 bags of Basmati rice, 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice and two vehicles.
The seized vehicles were identified as a 2025 Toyota Highlander valued at N214m and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT with a Duty Paid Value of N77.59m.
According to the Acting Controller, the used clothing worth N32.3m was intercepted along the Ogbomoso-Jebba axis, while the PMS valued at N2.75m was seized along the Bukuro-Okuta-Chikanda route.
He added that the Tramadol, valued at N50.946m, was intercepted along the Okuta axis, while the Basmati rice was seized along the Bode-Saadu Expressway.
Ogundeyi said the foreign spaghetti had a DPV of N201.15m, while the 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice were valued at N25.245m.
He stated that the Toyota Highlander was intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway, while the Dodge Charger was seized along the Lagos-Kwara highway at Eyenkorin.
“The total combined Duty Paid Value of the seizures is N604,333,592,” he said.
The Customs official stressed that the enforcement operations were not targeted at legitimate food businesses but aimed at preventing the movement of goods through illegal routes and without proper documentation.
He said the interception of foreign food products aligned with government policies to encourage local agricultural production, protect domestic investments and strengthen the value chain.
Ogundeyi warned that smuggled goods placed compliant traders at a disadvantage because smugglers avoided duties and regulatory requirements.
On the Tramadol seizure, he described the interception as a major public health and security concern, noting that illegal entry of controlled substances posed serious risks beyond revenue losses.
He also said the seizure of 6,875 litres of PMS was aimed at preventing diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption into illegal border markets.
The Acting Controller disclosed that the command generated N7,978,338,031.21 during the period under review, describing the achievement as a reflection of its commitment to revenue generation, trade facilitation and national security.
He attributed the successes to intelligence gathering, patrol operations and collaboration with other security agencies.
Ogundeyi commended officers of the Intelligence Unit and Customs Police Unit for their efforts in the interceptions, adding that sustained intelligence-led enforcement was necessary to tackle evolving smuggling tactics.
He urged residents of border communities, traditional rulers, transporters and other stakeholders to provide useful information that would assist security agencies in combating cross-border crimes.
The Acting Controller assured legitimate traders of the command’s support while warning that smuggling activities would continue to face strict enforcement.
