FOU ‘A’ Seized 6.4kg of Illegal Drugs, Multiple Items with DPV of 5.5 bllion in 8 Weeks

By Stella Okocha 

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, thwarted the attempts of smugglers across the South-Western states by intercepting 473 smuggling attempts within eight weeks of operations, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦5.5 billion.

The Command’s boss, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, revealed these figures at a press briefing held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Lagos, stating that the results of the seizures were achieved through advanced surveillance, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency collaboration.

Aliyu told the press that the unit also launched Special Operation codenamed “OPERATION HAWK,” a deliberate strategy 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.

As a result, the Unit intercepted 3,340 parcels of a synthetic strain of cannabis indica known as ‘Ghanaian loud,’ weighing 1,540kg.

According to the CAC, “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 71year old male Nigerian citizen suspected to convey a Narcotics substance. Further examination of the vehicle revealed 6 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..

“This effort 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, I have 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” he said

Compt Aliyu added that all recovered narcotics will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.

Other items that were seized during the period of time includes 8,794 (50kg each) bags of rice, 22 used (tokunbo) vehicles, 1,863 used refrigerator compressors, 328 bales of used clothing, 1,188 kegs of vegetable oil, 31,705 litres of PMS, 485 used tyres, 69 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 531 cartons of foreign poultry products, and assorted foreign food items.

Due to intelligence , Officers also seized four cylinders of high-grade mercury, a chemical controlled under the Minamata Convention on Mercury and commonly used illegally in artisanal gold mining. The cylinders were concealed in a false compartment in the trunk of a Toyota Avensis.

A male suspect was arrested and granted administrative bail, with the case to be handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

“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. This achievement 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.

Comptroller Aliyu also highlighted the unit’s move towards geospatial intelligence, deploying Geographic Information Systems (GIS), drone surveillance, satellite imagery, real-time vehicle tracking, and predictive analytics to map high-risk corridors and monitor smuggling hotspots.

He noted that the recently commissioned Command Headquarters at Iperu, 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.

Aliyu expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and direction, and praised operatives for their dedication to securing the nation’s borders against economic sabotage.

He also commend the tireless efforts of the officers and reaffirm 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”, Aliyu said.