By Muyideen Aliyu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has generated over ₦3.8 billion in revenue during the first quarter of 2026, despite the continued closure of Nigeria’s border with the Republic of Benin.
Acting Area Controller of the Command, Deputy Comptroller Najeem Ogundeyi disclosed this on Thursday in Ilorin.
Speaking, Ogundeyi explained that the Command realized a total revenue of ₦3,895,333,182.94 between January and March 2026, noting that this feat was achieved largely through excise duties and intensified anti-smuggling operations.
According to him, the Command recorded major successes in its crackdown on smuggling activities across several flashpoints within Kwara and neighboring areas.
He identified the affected routes as Bukuro, Gurumi, Sikira, Okuta, Boriya, Tewu, Bero, Sango, Oke-Oyi, Alapa, Malete, Bani, Offa, Idofian, and Eiyenkorin, as well as the Lagos-Ilorin Expressway.
“These areas have remained under close watch due to their strategic use by smugglers attempting illegal trade and the smuggling of uncustomed goods both in and out of the country,” he said.
The Acting Controller reported that operatives intercepted 155 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 pieces of second-hand tires, 418 jerry cans of vegetable oil and 3,697 cartons of macaroni pasta during the operations.
Other seized items included 5,925 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 49.5 kilograms of cannabis, 376 kilograms of tramadol, corrosive oxidizer chemicals, and 18 bales of second-hand clothing.
He stated that the total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items stood at ₦204,763,439.
Highlighting the significance of these seizures, he noted that the operations reflected the Service’s determination to protect the nation’s economy and curb illegal trade.
Ogundeyi further acknowledged that improved intelligence-driven operations and discipline among personnel followed the redeployment of new officers to the Customs Intelligence Unit and the Customs Police Unit.
He assured residents that the Command would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement activities to frustrate smugglers and economic saboteurs, supported by sister security agencies in the state.
The Customs boss appealed to residents of border communities to support the Service with timely and credible information to aid anti-smuggling efforts.
He concluded by reaffirming that the Kwara Command remains committed to ensuring that those engaged in illegal activities are brought to justice and that national economic interests are safeguarded at all times.