Ogun I Customs Seizes ₦3.5BN Contraband, Hands Over 6,035 Parcels of “Ghana Loud” to NDLEA

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted contraband valued at ₦3,574,435,248.08 in Duty Paid Value, including thousands of parcels of narcotics, in a sweeping anti-smuggling operation.

During a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Idiroko, Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Oladapo Afeni announced the handover of 6,035 parcels of “Ghana Loud” (Indica cannabis) to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for investigation and prosecution.

Afeni condemned smuggling as “economic sabotage,” stressing its devastating impact on agriculture, jobs, public health, and national security.

“Smuggling robs our children of a future. No nation develops when its borders are treated as highways for criminality,” Afeni declared.

According to the Controller, the seizures include 2,339 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of Basmati rice, 6,035 parcels of “Ghana Loud”/Indica cannabis, 30 bags of foreign sugar (50kg each), 11,450 litres of PMS in kegs and 1,750 litres in drums, 30 kegs of diesel (25 litres each), 100 bags of fertilizer, 67 bales of second-hand clothes, 2,674 pieces of new shorts/trousers, 3,760 pieces of new tops, 480 cartons of Pure Haven drinks, 47 cartons of cosmetics, 85 fire extinguishers and other prohibited items.

Afeni noted that the seized narcotics represent “millions of doses of devastation” that could have fueled violent crime and destroyed families.

From January to date, Ogun I Command has handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw cannabis sativa to the NDLEA. In July alone, the Command generated ₦90,066,164.00 from baggage assessments, auctions, and other charges.

On exports, the Command facilitated 10,110 metric tons of goods with a Free on Board (FOB) value of ₦2,594,078,654.00, including white talc, crushed thermal coal, and compressed natural gas (CNG).

Afeni praised the gallantry of Customs officers and commended the leadership of Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, whose reforms he said have “redefined operational excellence across the Service.”

The CAC urged traditional rulers, youth leaders, and citizens to partner with Customs by reporting suspicious movements along Nigeria’s borders.

“To Nigerians: Buy Nigerian. Your choice of local rice, oil, wine, and pasta is an investment in jobs, food security, and national pride,” Afeni said.

He warned smugglers to “adapt or be crushed,” vowing that Ogun I Command will remain a hostile territory for economic saboteurs.