Customs FOU ‘A’ hit smugglers, seizes Cocaine, illicit drugs, others worth over N5.5b *Arrests 71 year old suspect

By Temitope Adebiyi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, has intensified its anti-smuggling efforts, which has resulted in the seizure of prohibited items
worth over N5.5 billion and arrests, including a 71-year-old suspected Cocaine smuggler at Gbaji, area of Seme border in Lagos State.

Addressing reporters in Lagos, today, the Area Controller of the Unit, Gambo Aliyu, said, the anti-smuggling operations in the South-West have intensified, with the Unit recording seizures valued at ₦5,504,039,720.00 in the last eight weeks.

Aliyu said the surge in seizures reflects a more aggressive, intelligence-led approach aimed at disrupting illicit trade flows, protecting government revenue, and safeguarding the country’s maritime and border economy

His officers, he said, arrested a 71 -year-old suspected smuggler, thwarted 473 smuggling attempts and Intercepted 15 trailer loads of foreign rice smuggled into the country.

The unit, he declared,has reinforced its anti-smuggling strategies to continuously cut supply chain networks in drug trafficking with the launch of an operation code named “OPERATION HAWK”

This, according to Aliyu, is aimed at curbing illicit goods trafficking, safeguarding revenue and protecting our society and environment from incidences of crime, criminalities and pervasive societal vices that threaten national stability.

His words: ” we gather here today once again to provide insight into our ongoing efforts in the fight against economic saboteurs across the South-Western states of Nigeria.”

The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ , he said, “remains firm and focused on safeguarding our nation’s borders, protecting the economy, and
combating all forms of illicit activities.”

Under his humble leadership, Aliyu said,
“the Unit intensified decisive measures against smugglers who would stop at nothing to undermine the enforcement of the Federal government fiscal policy measures and the provisions of the NCS Act 2023.The unit leveraging on advanced surveillance, intelligence sharing frameworks, and inter-agency collaboration thwarted 473 smuggling attempts within eight weeks of our operations resulting in seizures of the following items ; 8,794 bags of rice (50kg) each, equivalent to 15 trailer loads; 22 units of used ‘Tokunbo’ vehicles; 1,863 pieces of used refrigerator compressors and 328 bales of used clothing.

Other seized items, according to him, “include 1,188 kegs of vegetable Oil, 25 litres each; 31, 705 litres of PMS,; 485 pieces used tyres, 69 cartons of foreign Bonita spaghetti, 24 bags 50kg each of foreign sugar and Five Cartons of ST Louis and 531 cartons of foreign poultry products among others.”

The Unit, the Controller said, has successfully took out 3,340 parcels of synthetic strain of cannabis indica, ‘Ghanaian loud’, weighing 1540kg from the society.

This effort, he said, ” is an affirmation of our
commitment in the fight against drugs smuggling syndicates in the Zone. Our analysis of the trend in recent times, indicate that the
traffickers are devising different methods to perpetuate illicit trade, therefore, there is the need for critical security stakeholders to upscale their intelligence sharing mechanism to cut the supply chain completely.

In addition to leveraging modern technologies for intelligence gathering, he added that he has “also constituted and effectively coordinated a specialised team responsible for integrating Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) operations, which is already yielding positive and measurable results.

” In a separate operation, officers and men of the Gbaji outpost acting on credible intelligence at about 0645hrs of Thursday 30th April 2026, intercepted a green coloured Toyota Highlander driven by one Mr. Oni Iredia Martins, a 71 year old male Nigerian citizen suspected to convey a Narcotics substance.”

Further examination of the vehicle , he said, “revealed six parcels of cocaine substance, with 2 parcels of the powdered substance Cocaine weighing 2.3kg, and 4 parcels of the Methamphetamine weighing 4.1kg of crack cocaine, all totalling 6.4kg of the illicit substance.

“The consignment was intercepted at Elijah Bus stop along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, and has a street value of approximately N2.35b. The numerous seizures occurred across borders in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo states. Several defendants were arrested in connection with these operations.

“In a clear demonstration of inter-agency collaboration, the seized 1,540kg of synthetic strain of cannabis indica, ‘Ghanaian loud’,
totalling 3,340 Compressed packages, together with the 6.4kg of Cocaine and Methamphetamine were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution in courts of competent jurisdictions.”

These seizures, he added, ” underscore the operational prowess and strategic effectiveness of our operatives. They also reinforce our unwavering dedication to disrupt smuggling networks and confront economic saboteurs whose actions threaten national security and undermine the fiscal policies of the federal government headlong.

In a similar development, he said, “vigilant officers on duty, seized Four Cylinders of a Chemical confirmed to be high grade MERCURY, the item is illegally used in small scale mining of GOLD. The item is a DUAL-PURPOSE Chemical that poses significant environmental hazards and is controlled by the MINAMATA CONVENTION ON MERCURY. The items were concealed in the false bottom segment in the trunk of a TOYOTA AVENSIS, at the Gbaji Outpost, along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.

The arrest, he added, “was effected together with a male suspect who has been granted Administrative bail, as investigation reached an advanced stage. The items and the suspect would be handed over to NESREA in furtherance of our agency function as directed by Headquarters.

“In addition to the numerous physical seizures and arrests made, the Unit also achieved remarkable success in revenue recovery through sustained enforcement of compliance measures and anti-smuggling operations. A Duty Paid Value (DPV) of (₦5,504,039,720.00) Five billion, Five Hundred and Four Million, Thirty-Nine Thousand, Seven Hundred and Twenty Naira only was recorded during the period under review.

“This impressive figure is a clear testimony to the scale, intensity, and strategic effectiveness of our operations across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo States. It underscores the Unit’s unwavering commitment to the recovery of unpaid duties, interception of under-declared consignments, and strict enforcement of the Federal Government’s fiscal policies. The (₦5,504,039,720.00) Five billion, Five Hundred and Four Million, Thirty-Nine Thousand, Seven Hundred and Twenty Naira only DPV further demonstrates the significant contribution of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ to national revenue mobilization efforts, while simultaneously dealing a heavy blow to economic saboteurs and smugglers who attempt to
undermine the nation’s economic interests.

The achievement he said, “reinforces our resolve to maintain a high level of operational efficiency and fiscal responsibility in line with the vision of the Comptroller- General of Customs.

“Aside enforcement operations, the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ (FOU), also plays a vital role in ensuring compliance with import
and export regulations. Strengthening the integrity of the declarations on the trade value chain remains a priority. In line with the ONE STOP initiative of the Service, the unit continues to scrutinize questionable declarations, interdict unpaid duty and issue Demand Notices (DN) in concert with the Post Clearance Audit, where necessary. Consequently, between 3rd February and 28th April 2026, a total of Ninety-Seven Million, Seven Hundred and Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety-Six Naira and Fifty-Five Kobo (N97,703,596.55) only was
recovered.

In alignment with the vision of the Comptroller-General of the Service, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for a modern, technology- driven Nigeria Customs Service, he said, “the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ is aggressively advancing the digitization of its operations. We are integrating cutting-edge technologies, particularly geospatial intelligence, to curb unwholesome practices including smuggling,
under-declaration, duty evasion, and illicit trafficking.”

This, according to him, “ncludes the deployment of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), satellite imagery, drone surveillance, real-time vehicle tracking, and predictive analytics to map high-risk border corridors, monitor smuggling hotspots in real time across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo states, and enable proactive, intelligence-led operations.

“Geospatial tools allow us to overlay seizure data, movement patterns of contraband such as rice, used vehicles, and narcotics, and intelligence reports on digital maps. This facilitates better resource allocation, rapid response, and disruption of supply chains before they reach our highways. The recent commissioning of our new state-of-the-art Command Headquarters at Iperu in Ogun State provides the perfect infrastructure backbone for this modernization drive. The facility will host an advanced Command and Control Centre equipped for geospatial monitoring, data analytics, and seamless inter-agency collaboration with NDLEA, Police, and other security and intelligence organisations.

This technological transformation, Aliyu added, ” aligns fully with the CGC’s vision of modernising the NCS to meet global standards, enhance operational efficiency, improve revenue collection, and deliver faster trade facilitation while maintaining robust border security. By embracing these tools, we are not only strengthening enforcement but also creating a more transparent, accountable, and responsive Customs administration that supports legitimate trade in line with the WCO
SAFE FRAMEWORK OF STANDARDS.

“While we maintain vigilance against smuggling, fraud and criminalities, the FOU remains a strong partner in trade facilitation. We continue to support legitimate trade through intelligence-driven operations that strike a balance between security enforcement and economic growth, ensuring that lawful traders are not unduly hindered in the process.    

“This is representative of the WCO SAFE
FRAMEWORK OF STANDARDS. This is evident as we no longer hear or receive complains of unnecessary hindrance of cargo movements by our stakeholders who are doing legitimate businesses along the major highways in the Zone.

The Unit, he said, “will commence a phased movement to our newly commissioned ultra-modern Command Headquarters at Iperu in Ogun State very soon. The Iperu Headquarters, personally commissioned by His Excellency, the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure. This strategic relocation is not merely a change of physical address but a transformative step in the CGC’s vision for a fully modernized and efficient Nigeria Customs Service. The phased approach will ensure minimal disruption to our operations while allowing officers and men to gradually settle into the new facility. This move will significantly boost morale, enhance inter-agency collaboration, strengthen real-time monitoring of smuggling routes across the South-West, and position the Unit to deliver even greater results in revenue generation, trade facilitation, and border security. We are confident that the relocation will mark a new era of operational excellence for the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’.

Aliyu expressed gratitude to the indefatigable Comptroller General of the Service, Adeniyi
and his management team for their continued guidance and for providing us with the required direction which we are thriving on. I commend the tireless efforts of our operatives and reaffirm our commitment to securing our nation’s borders against all forms of economic sabotage. We will not relent in our mission to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s trade environment and protect our economy from illicit trade practices. I also deeply appreciate our esteem stakeholders and media partners for their support and modest reportage of our efforts,” he concluded.