Feyisayo Ogunbiyi
The Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has issued a stern warning to smugglers operating along the Idi-Iroko border, as it recorded a remarkable revenue increase from N10.6 million in April to over N42 million in May 2025.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the new Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, during his first press briefing since assuming office.
Otunla attributed the sharp rise in revenue to a renewed commitment to enforcement and strategic realignment under his leadership.
“Prior to my assumption of duty in April 2025, the revenue for the command stood at N10,621,250. However, through intensified anti-smuggling efforts and operational restructuring, we recorded N42,279,240 by the end of May,” he said.
The Comptroller warned smugglers and their collaborators to steer clear of Ogun State borders, vowing zero tolerance for economic sabotage.
“We remain vigilant, alert, and fully prepared to confront any threat to the nation’s economic and security interests,” he said.
In a show of inter-agency collaboration, Otunla also handed over several seized items to sister security agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Police Force.
The confiscated items included 1,307 parcels of cannabis sativa, five dane guns, 1,433 live cartridges, and multiple cartons of banned fireworks.
Receiving the cannabis, the NDLEA Commander of Narcotics, Ekundayo Williams, praised the synergy among security agencies and declared the Idi-Iroko axis a “war zone” for traffickers.
“This handing over symbolises our robust collaboration. If NDLEA doesn’t get them, Customs will. We are sending a clear message to drug traffickers: Idi-Iroko is no longer safe for you,” he warned.
Corroborating the position, the Police Area Commander for Idi-Iroko, ACP Bukoye Oye, vowed to keep up the pressure on smugglers, whom he described as persistent economic saboteurs.
“Smuggling is all they do. They are recalcitrant. But as they move, we will always be a step ahead,” he declared.
The renewed offensive against smuggling in Ogun State marks a significant step in securing Nigeria’s borders and safeguarding the economy from illegal trade and transnational crime.
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