The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has recorded a revenue haul of ₦3.89 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while also intensifying anti-smuggling operations that led to the interception of prohibited and uncustomed goods valued at over ₦204 million.
The disclosure was made by the Acting Area Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, during the third press briefing of the Command held in Ilorin on Thursday.
Ogundeyi explained that the Command generated a total sum of ₦3,895,333,182.94 between January and March 2026, despite the prolonged closure of Nigeria’s land border with the Republic of Benin.
According to him, the Command has continued to rely largely on excise revenue and strategic enforcement operations to sustain its financial performance.
He credited the feat to the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, alongside ongoing reforms centred on intelligence gathering, operational discipline and inter-agency collaboration.
The Acting Controller noted that recent restructuring within the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) and Customs Police Unit (CPU) had significantly strengthened surveillance operations and enforcement efficiency across the Command.
He further praised the cooperation between the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies operating within the state, describing the partnership as instrumental to the Command’s recent successes.
Giving details of anti-smuggling activities carried out from March 2026 till date, Ogundeyi said operatives monitored and intercepted contraband along several notorious smuggling corridors spread across Kwara and neighbouring border communities.
The affected routes, he said, included Bukuro, Gurumi, Sikira, Okuta, Boriya, Tewu, Bero, Sango, Oke-Oyi, Alapa, Malete, Bani, Offa, Idofian, Eiyenkorin and sections of the Lagos–Ilorin Expressway.
“These locations remain critical flashpoints frequently exploited by smugglers attempting to move prohibited and uncustomed goods across the borders,” he stated.
Items intercepted during the operations included 155 bags of foreign parboiled rice with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦52.4 million, 3,697 packs of macaroni pasta valued at ₦110.9 million and 418 jerry cans of vegetable oil estimated at ₦27.1 million.
The Command also seized 237 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit containing 5,925 litres, 70 used tyres, 18 bales of second-hand clothing, 49.5 kilograms of cannabis, 376 kilograms of tramadol and several jerry cans containing corrosive oxidiser chemicals.
Ogundeyi disclosed that the cumulative DPV of all seizures stood at ₦204,763,439.
He said the interceptions reflected the determination of the Service to suppress illegal trade, protect government revenue and strengthen lawful commercial activities within the country.
The Acting Area Controller reaffirmed the commitment of the Kwara Area Command to deploying intelligence-driven enforcement strategies aimed at tackling economic sabotage and safeguarding national interests.
He also appealed to residents, particularly those living in border communities, to support security agencies with timely and credible information capable of aiding anti-smuggling operations.
Ogundeyi maintained that public cooperation remains essential in sustaining the gains already recorded by the Command.
As part of activities marking the briefing, selected officers and personnel of the Command were honoured with awards in recognition of exceptional performance and dedication to duty in various operational units.
The Command also formally handed over the seized cannabis to operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and necessary action.