The Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Idiroko, on Thursday, handed 3,365 parcels and 75 sacks of Cannabis Sativa, alongside 88 cartons of codeine cough syrup intercepted by its operatives, to the authority of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The illicit drugs were part of the “significant seizures” made by its operatives within the past two weeks after the stakeholders’ meeting and collaboration, where the Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu, declared the command’s resolve to eradicate illegal trading in dangerous drugs and other contraband
within its operational areas.

Parading newsmen around the seizures, CAC Shuaibu disclosed that other intercepted contrabands, whose Duty Payable Value (DPV) amounted to over N279.5 million, included a total of 2,145 bags, an equivalent of four trailer trucks, of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, being illegally imported into Nigeria.

Other prohibited items among the seizures were 612 bales of second-hand clothing, 843 units of pneumatic used tires, as well as a total of 6,625 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petroleum, being smuggled out of the country.

Shuaibu further disclosed that the command was able to generate a total of N9.694 million as revenue realised from baggage assessment, as well as auction sales of the earlier intercepted PMS, “because of the highly inflammable nature of the item.”

The Ogun 1 Controller, Shuaibu, however, handed over the intercepted illicit drugs to the head of the NDLEA, Deputy Commander of Narcotics Alexander Nyigide, who led a team of six-man narcotics agents to represent Commander Tijani Rabe “for proper disposal and further investigation.”

Speaking during the handing over of the items to NDLEA officials in the spirit of inter-agency cooperation, CAC Shuaibu said the items being handed over reflected the ongoing efforts of the command at curbing “the distribution of illegal narcotics within the country, which pose significant threats to the health and safety of our citizens.”

“These actions send a clear and unequivocal message to those who engage in illegal activities: the operatives of Ogun 1 Command will continue to carry out their statutory responsibilities with dedication, ensuring that such illegal enterprises do not thrive in our area of responsibility.

“We will remain relentless in our fight against smugglers. Every tactic employed by criminals to circumvent security checks will be futile, as our intelligence network, systematic monitoring, and operational mechanisms are robust and effective in identifying and tracking these economic saboteurs and their sponsors.

“I take this opportunity to call on the public to continue supporting the command in its fight against smuggling. It is only through collective effort that we can safeguard our country and realise the vision of our founding fathers.

“Our primary focus will always remain on ensuring that our borders are secure and that national interests are protected. This also includes ensuring compliance with international trade agreements and safeguarding our national security.”

Responding after the handover, the Ogun NDLEA Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Alexander Nyigide, disclosed that the inter-agency synergy with Customs is now yielding the desired results, which, in no small measure, helps in eradicating illicit drugs in the country.

He stated that there is no nation free of illicit drugs, but it can only be reduced to the barest minimum, noting that the two agencies are working hard to bring the rate of illicit drugs and substances under control.