Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Olukayode Oladapo Afeni, on Thursday officially took over as Acting Customs Area Controller of the Ogun I Area Command, pledging to strengthen border security and promote legitimate trade across the nation’s busiest land frontier.
The handover ceremony, held at the Command Headquarters in Idiroko, followed his appointment by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Addressing senior officers, stakeholders and community representatives, Afeni said he was fully aware of the strategic importance of the Ogun 1 Command—an area notorious for its expansive borderlines and intense smuggling activities.
“It is a great honour to assume the leadership of Ogun 1,” he said. “I am fully aware of the unique operational environment of this command, with its vast borders and critical role in national security and economic stability.
“I will consolidate the gains recorded by my predecessor and pursue continuous improvement in efficiency, enforcement, intelligence-led operations, stakeholder collaboration and community relations.”
Afeni also pledged to boost inter-agency cooperation and drive down smuggling activities “to the barest minimum,” adding that personnel welfare and professional development would remain a top priority under his leadership.
A seasoned officer with nearly two decades of service, Afeni is widely regarded as a strategist with strong administrative and operational depth. He holds a B.Tech in Industrial Design from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos.
He has also undergone specialised trainings, including courses in conflict management, international negotiation, strategic leadership and rural border patrol operations. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and a fellow of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria.
In his farewell address, outgoing Area Controller, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, described his tenure as “challenging yet fulfilling,” noting that the Command recorded significant improvements in curbing smuggling, enhancing trade facilitation and boosting staff welfare.
“Beyond seizures and revenue, we strengthened inter-agency cooperation, which improved border security and crime control within our jurisdiction,” Otunla said. “I am confident that DC Afeni will consolidate these gains and lead the Command to greater heights.”
The leadership transition signals renewed momentum in the Nigeria Customs Service’s efforts to suppress smuggling, safeguard border communities and enhance legitimate trade through one of the country’s most strategic gateways.
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