Kwara Customs intensifies border crackdown, generated ₦7.98bn, siezes tramadol, rice, vehicles worth ₦604.33m

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has intensified its crackdown on illicit cross-border trade, generating ₦7.98 billion in revenue and intercepting prohibited and uncustomed goods with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦604.33 million.

The seizures included 3,396 packets of Tramadol, 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), foreign rice and spaghetti, used clothing and two vehicles, including a 2025 Toyota Highlander and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT, intercepted across various operational corridors in the state.

The figures were disclosed on Thursday during a press briefing by the Command’s Public Relations Unit on behalf of the Acting Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi.

Ogundeyi said the Command had maintained an uncompromising stance against smuggling since he assumed duty on December 17, 2025, stressing that Kwara would not be allowed to become a safe haven or transit corridor for illicit cross-border trade.

He said Customs officers had sustained surveillance and patrols across identified vulnerable routes, backed by actionable intelligence and collaboration with sister security agencies.

The Command said one of its major seizures was 3,396 packets of Tramadol 100mg intercepted along the Okuta axis, with a DPV of ₦50.95 million.

Also intercepted were 6,875 litres of PMS along the Bukuro/Okuta/Chikanda axis, valued at ₦2.75 million.

The Command said the petroleum product seizure was important because the illegal diversion of PMS into cross-border markets could undermine domestic supply and the government’s efforts to safeguard strategic energy resources.

Other seizures included 80 bales and six sacks of used clothing intercepted along the Ogbomoso/Jebba axis, with a DPV of ₦32.3 million.

Customs also intercepted 14 bags of Basmati rice, each weighing 5kg, along the Bode-Saadu Expressway, valued at ₦350,000.

A further 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti were seized along the Bode-Saadu axis, with a DPV of ₦201.15 million, while 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, were intercepted at various locations and valued at ₦25.25 million.

The vehicle seizures comprised a 2025 Toyota Highlander, intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway and valued at ₦214 million, and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT, intercepted along the Lagos-Kwara highway at Eyankorin, with a DPV of ₦77.59 million.

The total Duty Paid Value of the eight categories of seized goods stood at ₦604,333,592.

The Command also addressed concerns over the interception of foreign food products, saying the seizures should not be misconstrued as opposition to food availability in the country.

Ogundeyi said the Service was mandated to enforce laws governing cross-border trade, particularly where goods were moved through unapproved routes, bypassed regulatory checks or lacked required documentation.

He said the illegal influx of foreign food products could undermine Federal Government policies aimed at encouraging domestic agricultural production, protecting local investments and strengthening the Nigerian value chain.

According to him, enforcement also protects legitimate traders from being disadvantaged by operators who evade established procedures in pursuit of unlawful profits.

The Command stressed that its objective was to maintain a balance between trade facilitation and enforcement, assuring compliant businesses that legitimate trade would continue to receive Customs support.

Beyond enforcement, the Command recorded ₦7,978,338,031.21 in revenue during the period under review.

The Command said the performance demonstrated its commitment to maximising revenue for the Federal Government while simultaneously carrying out its responsibilities for trade facilitation, border security and suppression of smuggling.

Ogundeyi attributed the operational gains largely to intelligence-led enforcement and commended the Command’s Intelligence Unit and Customs Police Unit for their contributions.

He also praised officers and men deployed across the Command’s extensive and challenging operational terrain for their dedication.

The Acting Controller acknowledged the importance of inter-agency collaboration, noting that trans-border criminal activities could not be effectively tackled by Customs alone.

He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his strategic direction and support to the Command.

The Command appealed to residents of border communities, traditional rulers, commercial transporters and other stakeholders to support its efforts by providing timely and credible intelligence on smuggling activities.

It urged the public to view border security as a shared responsibility, particularly given the economic and security implications of illicit cross-border trade.

The Command also called on the media to continue educating the public on the distinction between legitimate international trade and smuggling.

For importers, it reiterated that enforcement operations would not be targeted at lawful businesses, but warned that goods moved through unauthorised routes or in breach of Customs regulations would continue to attract enforcement action.

The Command maintained that its operational posture would remain intelligence-driven, with legitimate trade facilitated while smuggling and other forms of illicit cross-border commerce face sustained enforcement.