Three units of single-barreled long guns with four packets of cartridges, along 150 sacks of Cannabis Sativa popularly known as Indian Hemp were among contrabands intercepted by operatives of the Ogun 1 Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Idiroko Border between 1st of January 2025 till date.
The Command’s Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu disclosed this while giving account of the stewardship of his command for the first quarter of year 2025.
The Area Controller, who took journalists round the command warehouse in Idiroko, Ipokia Local Government Area of the state, said the seized cannabis sativa packaged in various sizes were among the 161 contrabands recorded in the 114 seizures intercepted by the anti-smuggling operatives of the command in different areas across the state.
He stated that his command intercepted a total of 900 bags of rice “in single swoop”, along with four used vehicles, 20 bags of imported sugar, 20 bags flour powder and 50 bags of POP cement
Shuaibu explained that the relentless anti-smuggling campaign of the command has continued to improve its seizure profile, stressing that the command’s intensive and intelligence based anti-smuggling operations resulted to 161 seizures
Other contrabands intercepted by the command, according to Shuaibu, included 10 cartons of Amoxicillin capsules 7, 242 bags of foreign parboiled rice; two sacks of cowries; 12 cartons of Ghana soap; 843 pieces of pneumatics used tyres and 535 kegs of PMS of 25 liters each.
Others include 22 vehicles (means of conveyance), 534 cannabis sativa of booklet sizes, 239 cannabis sativa of bread sizes, 2,926 cannabis sativa of coconut sizes,
“The seizures were made at different locations such as Abeokuta, Ilaro and Ipokia/Idiroko, among others. Some of the seized cannabis sativa has since been handed over to the NDLEA in Abeokuta and the remaining parcels will be handed over to representative of the State Commander here today”.
Shuaibu disclosed that the cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) for all the above seizures amounted to N 314, 057, 716.
In the area of revenue generation, the Idiroko CAC said his Command generated a total sum of N43, 412, 794: 00 from import duty and auction sales of petroleum products (PMS) intercepted during anti-smuggling operations.
“I will like to reiterate that the revenue activity of the command comprises importation and exportation of legitimate goods, goods under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and assessment of merchandise in baggage”.
“This amount surpasses what was generated same period last year 2024, with seven million six hundred and six thousand two Hundred and thirty two Naira (N7, 606,232.00)”
He furher noted that the Command was able to strengthen its operational base that will enable it achieve its set objectives by expanding stakeholders’ engagement to cover the the neighbouring Republic of Benin.
“I have dedicated my last three months collaborating, consolidating, synergizing and engaging with critical stakeholders within and outside the country for seamless and legitimate trade while enforcing government fiscal policies against smuggling activities”.
“Within the state, I took my time to visit traditional institutions, head of security agencies eg NPF, NIS, NDLEA, DSS and other sister agencies in other for us to be on the same page.
Outside the state and the country, I visited Benin Republic Police and Benin Republic Customs Controller in charge of Igolo-Idiroko border with the purpose of strengthening border security, improving trade facilitation through Idiroko border corridor, economic relations between Nigeria and Benin Republic not only for our bilateral ties but for the entire region as both nations continued to priorities peace, security at our shared border”.
