Kwara Customs Chief Explains How N50m Worth of Tramadol Was Intercepted In Okuta
The Controller, Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Mr Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi on Thursday explained how customs officers intercepted a drug trafficking syndicate in the Okuta axis of Baruten local government and seized tramadol with an estimated street value of N50 million despite trying to obscure the items in question.
Mr Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, who disclosed this during the press conference he presided over at the headquarters of the command on Thursday which was attended by journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com, said the smugglers had put jerry cans filled with palm oil, fruits, and used clothes on top of the 3,396 packets of 100mg Tramadol to conceal them while noting that customs officers who seized the drugs acted on an intelligence report.
The Customs chief noted that seizing the 3,396 packets of 100m tramadol with a Duty Paid Value of ₦50.9 million is vital to protecting public health and preventing dangerous drugs from fueling domestic insecurity.
Operations carried out across several key borders and highways within the Area Command’s jurisdiction, he added, led to the seizure of drugs, petroleum products, luxury vehicles, and contraband food items.
Two high-end vehicles were seized for customs infractions, he added, while noting that a brand-new 2025 Toyota Highlander valued at ₦214 million was intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway, and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT worth over ₦77.5 million was seized along the Lagos-Kwara highway near Eyenkorin.
The Area Command also dealt a significant blow to food smuggling, confiscating 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti valued at ₦201.1 million along the Bode-Saadu axis, 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each) and 14 bags of Basmati rice taken from various operational corridors.
Additionally, 80 bales and six sacks of used clothing worth ₦32.3 million were intercepted in the Ogbomoso-Jebba axis.
Mr Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi added that the Area Command also seized 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) valued at ₦2.75 million in Bukuro/Okuta/Chikanda axis, submitting that the interception successfully blocked smugglers from diverting strategic domestic fuel supplies into illicit cross-border markets.
The total combined Duty Paid Value for all eight seizures is ₦604,333,592 while the customs chief has restated commitment to evolving tactics to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and internal security.
He added that the Area Command has generated a total revenue of ₦7,978,338,031.21 between January and August 2026, which is driven aggressively by its internal excise enforcement and factory-controlled operations.
Mr Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi noted that the ₦7.97 billion collection highlights a strategic balance between robust fiscal enforcement and macroeconomic support.
‘This milestone demonstrates our commitment to maximizing revenue for the Federal Government while maintaining a balanced operational focus on trade facilitation and national security’ he said.
The Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), he added, will sustain its uncompromising stance against illicit trade, attributing recent operational successes to intelligence-led enforcement and robust inter-agency collaboration.
Speaking on the Area Command’s achievements, the Area Controller praised the newly energized Intelligence and Customs Police Units for providing the tactical momentum needed to secure the vast and challenging border terrains in the Area Command’s area of responsibility.
He commended the resilience of members of the Area Command on the frontlines who have continued to block leakages and safeguard the nation’s economic landscape.
Emphasizing that cross-border crime cannot be tackled in isolation and expressing deep gratitude to sister security agencies for their continued cooperation in joint tactical operations, the Area Controller also extended profound appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi noting that his strategic direction and unwavering support have been instrumental in the Area Command’s operational efficiency.
In a direct appeal to the public, the head of the Kwara Area Command urged border communities, traditional leaders, and commercial transporters to see national security as a collective duty.
‘Providing timely, credible intelligence remains vital to safeguarding our economic landscape’ he said.
While noting that traders and stakeholders:with legitimate businesses will always receive maximum support and facilitation from the Nigeria Customs Service, smugglers, he added, will continue to face uncompromising and severe enforcement saying ‘our mandate is to enforce compliance with the laws governing cross-border trade’.
‘When goods are moved through unapproved routes, bypass regulatory checks, or lack proper documentation, the NCS is legally mandated to intervene.
The illegal influx of foreign food products through porous borders undermines Federal Government policies aimed at boosting local agricultural production, protecting domestic investments, and safeguarding our local value chain. Our enforcement actions ensure that compliant, legitimate traders are not priced out by economic saboteurs who bypass established protocols for unlawful gain’ he added-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
