Customs Seize N417m Range Rover, 3,893 Cannabis Parcels in Ogun

The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun I Area Command, has intercepted contraband with a combined Duty Paid Value of N2.469 billion between August and September 2026, including a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530 valued at N417.01 million.

The seizures were disclosed on Thursday by the Acting Area Controller of the Ogun I Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, during a press conference at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko, Ogun State. According to him, the operation was part of ongoing efforts to combat smuggling, strengthen border security and facilitate legitimate trade.

Range Rover among major seizures

The 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530 was listed among the major highlights of the recent interceptions. The Customs Service put its value at N417,011,982, while the total Duty Paid Value of all seizures recorded during the period was N2,469,153,523.68.

Afeni said the seizures reflected the command’s enforcement activities against what he described as border economic sabotage and illicit trade.

3,893 parcels of cannabis intercepted

Also among the seized items were 3,893 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 1.878 tonnes.

Other items intercepted included 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 428 pneumatic tyres, 8,675 litres of Premium Motor Spirit stored in kegs, 24 bales of second-hand clothing, four sacks of used shoes and 500 litres of diesel.

The Customs command said the cannabis would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s Idiroko Special Command for further investigation.

Customs cites inter-agency collaboration

Afeni said border security operations had been strengthened through collaboration with the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, NDLEA and environmental management agencies.

He also said the command had engaged traditional rulers, youth leaders and border community associations as part of efforts to build trust and reduce hostility during enforcement operations.

According to the Acting Area Controller, the command’s activities also include corporate social responsibility and environmental initiatives targeted at supporting host communities.

Enforcement to continue

Afeni attributed the recent seizures to the commitment of officers and men of the command and the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management team.

He also thanked host communities, traditional rulers and media partners for their cooperation, while warning people involved in smuggling and other illegal border activities that enforcement would be intensified.

The development highlights the scale of the challenges confronting border enforcement in Ogun State, where Customs operations cover the movement of imported goods and other commodities through border corridors. The handover of the cannabis seizure to the NDLEA also underscores the role of inter-agency cooperation when intercepted goods fall within the mandate of another security or regulatory agency.

By Joseph Iyaji