Ogun 1 Customs Command Records N896.5m Revenue, N14.75bn Seizures as Ibrahim Takes Over

By Stella Okocha 

The outgoing Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command, Idiroko, has disclosed that the Command generated N896.54 million in revenue between January and August 2026 and also recorded seizures with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N14.75 billion.

Afeni disclosed the figures on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during the handing-over and taking-over ceremony at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko, where he formally transferred leadership of the command to Deputy Comptroller AA Ibrahim.

Afeni, who assumed office on December 4, 2025, said the command generated N896,539,138 against a revenue target of N545,348,440.12 during the period under review.

He said the command also recorded significant growth in export activities, handling 31,177 metric tonnes of goods with a Free on Board (FOB) value of N4.64 billion.

According to him, the figure represented a significant improvement over the corresponding period in 2025, when the command recorded no export trade.

Afeni said the command recorded 327 seizures between December 4, 2025 and September 29, 2026 as part of its anti-smuggling operations.

The seized items, according to him, included 32,449 parcels of cannabis, 50 sacks of raw Cannabis sativa, 19,525 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 8,787 cartons of spaghetti, 11,578 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 6,453 kegs of vegetable oil and six live pangolins.

Others included 2,128 live cartridges, 1,315 units of explosives, two revolver pistols, 11 Dane guns, two locally made pistols, camouflage clothing and seven foreign-used vehicles.

One of the vehicles, he said, was a 2026 Range Rover P530 Autobiography.

Afeni put the total DPV of the seizures from January to September at N14,750,394,251.92.

He attributed the command’s performance to intelligence-led operations, inter-agency collaboration and the commitment of officers and men.

The outgoing controller said the command also strengthened collaboration with sister security agencies, including the Department of State Services, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

He said the collaboration facilitated the transfer of seized illicit drugs to the NDLEA and arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Afeni said the command also maintained regular engagements with traditional rulers, youth leaders, community associations and other stakeholders along the border corridors to improve trust and reduce tensions during enforcement operations.

Beyond enforcement and revenue collection, Afeni said the command undertook a number of community and environmental initiatives during his tenure.

He said the command sponsored the AFENI Cup inter-school football tournament at Iko Gateway Grammar School in July 2026 as part of efforts to promote youth engagement, discipline and peaceful coexistence.

He added that the command also launched a “Green Border and Environmental Sustainability” initiative, under which trees were planted along critical border corridors to address environmental degradation.

Afeni further disclosed that two infrastructure projects in the command’s area of responsibility had been completed and were awaiting commissioning.

They include the rehabilitation of Igiri High School in Ijofin, Ipokia Local Government Area, involving the overhaul of classroom blocks, the principal’s office and sanitary facilities, as well as the construction of a jetty at Ijofin to support riverine transportation, commuter safety, fishing and local trade.

Taking over the command, Deputy Comptroller AA Ibrahim pledged to consolidate the gains recorded under his predecessor while advancing the policy direction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

Ibrahim said his administration would prioritise community relations, operational efficiency, intelligence-led enforcement, trade facilitation, corporate social responsibility and stronger collaboration with stakeholders.

He described the Ogun 1 Area Command as a strategically important command given its extensive border areas, vibrant economic activities and evolving security challenges.

He urged officers and men to maintain discipline, professionalism, integrity and commitment to the core mandates of the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly revenue collection, suppression of smuggling, facilitation of legitimate trade and protection of national security.

“I am fully aware of the unique and demanding operational environment of the Ogun 1 Area Command,” Ibrahim said, stressing that his immediate objective was to build on the existing foundation.

The new controller also assured traditional rulers, community leaders, host communities and operators along the Igolo-Idiroko border corridor of an open-door policy.

He said the command would strengthen engagement with stakeholders to promote peaceful coexistence and legitimate economic activities.

Ibrahim, however, warned that the command would not tolerate economic sabotage or smuggling.

He said enforcement under his leadership would be “firm, fair, professional and intelligence-driven”, while assuring compliant businesses and members of the public that their rights would be respected.

Afeni, who has been redeployed by the Comptroller-General of Customs to the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Ikeja, Lagos, appealed to officers, sister security agencies, traditional institutions and stakeholders to extend the same cooperation to his successor.

He said the achievements recorded during his tenure were the result of collective efforts by officers and men, the Customs management, security agencies and host communities.

While formally handing over, Afeni expressed confidence in Ibrahim’s ability to lead the command and urged all stakeholders to support him.

The ceremony brought together senior Customs officers, heads of sister security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, stakeholders and members of the press.

Afeni said he was leaving the command with a sense of fulfilment, adding that the experiences and achievements recorded during his tenure would remain part of his memories as he assumes his new assignment.

Ibrahim, meanwhile, called for a shared commitment to professionalism, teamwork and national service as he began his tenure at the Ogun 1 Area Command.