By Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin,
The Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, has intercepted eight consignments, including tramadol, foreign spaghetti, parboiled rice, petroleum products and two luxury vehicles, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N604.33 million.
The seizures, made across different operational corridors in the state, included 3,396 packets of 100mg tramadol valued at N50.946 million, 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti worth N201.15 million, 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice valued at N25.245 million and 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) with a DPV of N2.75 million.
The acting Area Controller of the Kwara Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, disclosed this during a press briefing in Ilorin, saying the command would not allow the state to become a safe haven or transit route for smuggling activities.
Ogundeyi said the seizures reflected the command’s continued deployment of intelligence-led operations, patrols and collaboration with other security agencies to tackle illicit cross-border trade.
He said, “The Kwara Command would never become a safe haven or transit corridor for illicit cross-border trade. That stance remains uncompromising.”
According to him, officers of the command had maintained active surveillance along identified smuggling routes and vulnerable corridors, relying on actionable intelligence and strengthened operational cooperation with sister agencies.
The items intercepted also included 80 bales and six sacks of used clothing along the Ogbomoso/Jebba axis, with a DPV of N32.3 million; 14 bags of 5kg Basmati rice worth N350,000 along the Bode-Saadu Expressway; a 2025 Toyota Highlander valued at N214 million and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT worth N77.59 million.
The Dodge Charger was intercepted along the Lagos/Kwara highway at Eyenkorin, while the Toyota Highlander was seized along the Bode-Saadu Expressway.
Ogundeyi said the seizure of food items should not be interpreted as an attempt by Customs to restrict food availability, stressing that the Service was enforcing existing laws governing cross-border trade.
“The seizure of food products should not be misinterpreted as an opposition by the Nigeria Customs Service to legitimate food availability for Nigerians. Rather, our mandate is to enforce compliance with the laws governing cross-border trade,” he said.
He explained that the movement of goods through unapproved routes, evasion of regulatory checks or failure to provide the required documentation remained violations that Customs was legally bound to address.
The acting controller added that the illegal influx of foreign food products could undermine government policies designed to encourage local agricultural production, protect domestic investments and strengthen the local value chain.
He said Customs enforcement was also aimed at protecting legitimate traders from being disadvantaged by smugglers who evade established procedures for unlawful profit.
On the public health implications of the seizures, Ogundeyi described the interception of the tramadol consignment as particularly significant, noting that the illegal importation of controlled substances posed serious risks to public safety and national security.
He said the 3,396 packets of 100mg tramadol, valued at more than N50.9 million, underscored the importance of effective border control in preventing unregulated pharmaceuticals from entering the country.
The command also intercepted 6,875 litres of PMS along the Bukuro/Okuta/Chikanda axis, with Ogundeyi saying the action would help prevent the diversion of petroleum products meant for domestic consumption into illicit border markets.
Meanwhile, the command generated N7,978,338,031.21 in revenue during the period under review.
Ogundeyi said the revenue performance demonstrated the command’s commitment to maximising collections for the Federal Government while balancing revenue generation with trade facilitation and national security responsibilities.
He attributed the successes recorded by the command to intelligence-led enforcement and commended personnel of its Intelligence Unit and Customs Police Unit for their contributions.
He also acknowledged the cooperation of sister security agencies, stressing that the fight against trans-border crime could not be effectively handled by a single agency.
“Trans-border crime cannot be fought in isolation; inter-agency cooperation remains central to our tactical execution,” he said.
The acting controller commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for providing strategic direction and support to the command.
He urged residents of border communities, traditional rulers, transporters and other stakeholders to support border security efforts by providing credible and timely information on suspicious activities.
Ogundeyi further appealed to the media to educate the public on the difference between legitimate international trade and smuggling.
“Legitimate trade will receive our maximum support, but smuggling will encounter uncompromising enforcement,” he said.
