Oyo/Osun Customs engages Ooni, Ataoja, Ogunsua on border security, trade facilitation

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intensified its grassroots engagement drive as the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Wale Adewole, paid strategic courtesy visits to prominent traditional rulers in Osun State.

The visits, held on Monday, February 23, 2026, took the Customs delegation to the palaces of the Ooni of Ife, the Ogunsua of Modakeke, and the Ataoja of Osogbo, underscoring the Command’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with traditional institutions in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities

In a release made available by Assistant Superintendent of Customs Abdulmalik Abiodun Akintola, Public Relations Officer(PRO) of the command stated that while at the palace of the Ooni of Ife in Ile-Ife, Adewole expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded to him and his management team, describing the revered stool as a custodian of Yoruba cultural heritage and moral authority.

He solicited the monarch’s support in mobilising community cooperation against smuggling and other illicit trade activities, noting that effective enforcement depends not only on operational capacity but also on grassroots intelligence and public compliance.

In his response, the Ooni commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its pivotal role in trade facilitation, border security, and the suppression of smuggling, assuring the Command of continued royal support toward safeguarding the nation’s economy.

Seeking Community Peace

At Modakeke, Adewole reiterated the importance of synergy between Customs and host communities, particularly in intelligence sharing and early reporting of suspicious cross-border activities. He acknowledged the stabilising influence of traditional rulers in maintaining peace and social order within their domains.

The Ogunsua of Modakeke, while welcoming the delegation, praised the Service’s contributions to national development and pledged the cooperation of his people in supporting lawful trade and compliance with Customs regulations.

A similar message was delivered at the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo in Osogbo, where the Acting Controller reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to building durable partnerships with traditional institutions.

He emphasised that sustained collaboration remains vital to promoting legitimate trade, curbing smuggling networks, and strengthening national economic security.

The Ataoja, in his remarks, lauded the Nigeria Customs Service for its role in protecting the country’s fiscal interests and maintaining border integrity, assuring the Command of the palace’s continued support.

Strategic Grassroots Engagement

Adewole noted that the courtesy visits form part of a broader stakeholder engagement strategy aimed at enhancing compliance through dialogue rather than enforcement alone. Traditional institutions, he observed, remain critical influencers capable of shaping community attitudes toward lawful trade practices.

The Oyo/Osun Area Command reaffirmed commitment to its core mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and suppression of smuggling, while pledging to sustain collaborative relationships with key stakeholders to ensure effective service delivery.

With the renewed palace-level engagements, the Command signals a recognition that community-backed enforcement may prove as decisive as operational strength in safeguarding Nigeria’s economic frontiers.