₦1.4 Billion Seizure: Idiroko Customs warns smugglers of tougher crackdown

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Idiroko has seized items worth over ₦1.4 billion in the past six weeks, including foreign parboiled rice, cannabis sativa, used tyres, and luxury vehicles, as part of its anti-smuggling onslaught.

Details accordingly include three exotic cars of a 2021 Rolls-Royce “Ghost” with a duty paid value of N905m. smuggled into the state, a 2018 Honda accord worth over 23 million and a Mercedes Benz car also in that range.

The seizures also include 4,424 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 50 sacks and 1,936 parcels of coconut size cannabis sativa, 105 pieces of used pneumatic tyres, 21 bales and 3 sacks of used clothes and 6,400 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) all at a Duty Paid Value of N1,401,531,923.95.

Area controller of the command, Comptroller Godwin Otunla at a press conference yesterday, Thursday at Idiroko said this feat was as a result of patriotism, commitment and intelligence drive on the part of men and officers of the command.

The Comptroller stated, “Through intelligence-driven operations, resilience, and the unwavering commitment of our gallant officers, we successfully made the following seizures: Foreign Parboiled Rice of 50kg each 4,424 bags, which is over 7 truckloads. Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as marijuana sacks and 1,936 parcels of coconut size.

“Used Pneumatic Tyres – 105 pieces, used clothing bales and 3 sacks. Foreign-Used Vehicles, commonly known as Tokunbo 3 units including a Rolls-Royce worth billions of Naira. Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)-6,400 litres.

“The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the aforementioned seizures amounts to One Billion, Four Hundred and One Million, Five Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Naira, Ninety-Five Kobo N1,401,531,923.95, representing a significant economic loss to smugglers but a huge gain to our national economy and security.”

He recalled that the feat is coming barley six weeks after the command intercepted 2,693 parcels of Cannabis Sativa otherwise known as Indian hemp, concealed inside a false compartment fabricated at the bottom of a Mercedes Benz truck.

Comptroller Otunla attributed the achievements within the short period to intelligence-driven operations, resilience, and the unwavering commitment of its gallant officers.

While doing the symbolic handing over of the seized items to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) the Customs Controller, stated the synergy is not only in compliance with government directives but also reinforces collective determination to safeguard public health, ensure national security, and protect the future of youths from the devastating effects of hard drugs.

On his part, the Commander of the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command, Williams Ekundayo, lauded the command, even as he noted that the seizures are coming thick and fast, with three in two months

Comptroller Otunla commended the unflinching support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi and the objective media coverage of the activities of the Command

He described the seizures as a testament and a demonstration of the Customs will to fight drug abuse, while also applying measures to safeguard the youths from the dangerous effects.