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By Victor Babayemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has seized smuggled and uncustomed goods valued at ₦604.33 million in Duty Paid Value (DPV) while generating ₦7.98 billion in revenue for the Federal Government.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Najeem Ogundeyi, announced the operational results during a press briefing in Ilorin, stating that the command intercepted illicit items across eight major categories along key border corridors.
The total revenue collected during the period under review stood at ₦7,978,338,031.21.
Among the items seized were 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti valued at ₦201.15 million, 3,396 packets of 100mg Tramadol worth ₦50.95 million, 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice valued at ₦25.25 million, 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth ₦2.75 million, and 80 bales plus six sacks of second-hand clothing valued at ₦32.3 million.
Officers also intercepted a 2025 Toyota Highlander valued at ₦214 million, a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT worth ₦77.59 million, and 14 bags of Basmati rice.
Ogundeyi, who assumed leadership of the command on December 17, 2025, said the enforcement actions were driven by an aggressive, intelligence-led strategy aimed at curbing cross-border smuggling.
Addressing concerns regarding the seizure of food commodities, Ogundeyi explained that the command was enforcing statutory regulations against illegal trade routes and uncustomed imports, rather than restricting local food supplies.
He added that illicit imports damage domestic production, undermine federal agricultural programs, and create unfair competition for law-abiding businesses.
The Area Controller commended the Intelligence Unit, the Customs Police Unit, and field officers for the seizures, attributing the operational success to strategic support from the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Ogundeyi called on border communities, traditional leaders, transporters, and the media to assist security personnel by reporting suspicious cross-border activity, adding that the command will continue to facilitate legitimate trade while prosecuting smugglers along the Kwara axis.
