The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted more than 10,000 parcels of suspected cannabis and a large cache of smuggled goods valued at over 6.77 billion naira (about $4.2 million) in southwest Nigeria’s Ogun State.
This underscored the renewed efforts to combat cross-border trafficking and illicit trade along the country’s frontier with neighbouring Benin Republic.
Officials of the Ogun Area 1 Command, headquartered in Idiroko, a major border town linking Nigeria and Benin said the seizures were made within 41 days through intelligence-led operations targeting smuggling routes across the state.
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Investigation and Prosecution
At a handover ceremony on Tuesday, the Command transferred 10,126 parcels of suspected Cannabis Sativa, weighing about 4,627 kilograms, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
Acting Area Controller of the command, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Afeni, said the anti-smuggling operations resulted in 73 separate seizures and highlighted the strategic role of the Ogun Area 1 Command in securing one of Nigeria’s busiest land border corridors.
The seized items included 1,759 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 14,550 litres of Premium Motor Spirit packed in jerry cans, vegetable oil, sugar, second-hand clothing, footwear, pharmaceuticals without regulatory approval, and wildlife products including six live pangolins, a protected species threatened by illegal trafficking.
Afeni warned that the influx of narcotics and contraband goods posed risks to public health, national security and local industries.
He said the interception of the cannabis shipment helped prevent wider circulation of illicit drugs linked to rising cases of violent crimes, cult-related activities and youth addiction.
Exploring Porous Routes
Nigeria has intensified border surveillance in recent years as authorities battle smuggling networks exploiting porous routes between the country and neighbouring West African states.
Ogun State, which shares a border with Benin Republic, remains one of the country’s major hotspots for illegal importation of rice, fuel diversion and drug trafficking.
The Customs Service said importation of foreign rice through land borders remains prohibited under Nigeria’s protectionist trade policy aimed at boosting local rice production and reducing dependence on imports.
The command added that the seizures reflected growing inter-agency collaboration between Customs, anti-drug authorities and other security agencies operating along the border region.
