Ibrahim’s Remarkable 15 Days
In just 15 days in office, Deputy Comptroller (DC) Abdulhamid Ibrahim-led Ogun 1 Customs Command seizes five trucks with large consignment of Army uniforms, 27,831 pharmaceuticals, and other items worth N3.2bn
By Innocent Chukwu
Within his first 15 days in office, Deputy Comptroller (DC) Abdulhamid Ibrahim has demonstrated leadership capacity to lead an Area Command as Customs Area Controller (CAC). The first time CAC is the current head of the Ogun 1 Customs Command, Idiroko, Ogun State, he has intensified anti-smuggling offensive, which uncovered illicit imports concealed with stones.
In a remarkable demonstration of operational vigilance and intelligence-driven enforcement, the Ogun I Customs Command, under the leadership of DC Ibrahim, intercepted five trucks conveying prohibited and unregistered goods, including 321 Army camouflage face caps and 27,831 pharmaceutical products, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of approximately N3.2 billion.
The impressive feat came barely 15 days after Ibrahim assumed office as the CAC of Ogun 1 Command, demonstrating the Command’s renewed determination to combat smuggling, protect public health, safeguard national security and frustrate the activities of economic saboteurs operating within its area of responsibility.
With the latest interceptions recorded within just 15 days of DC Ibrahim’s assumption of office, the Ogun I Area Command has signalled its determination to intensify intelligence-led operations, strengthen inter-agency partnerships and sustain pressure on smuggling networks, reinforcing the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader mandate to secure the nation’s borders, facilitate legitimate trade and protect the Nigerian economy.
Among the intercepted items were various unregistered pharmaceutical products, including codeine-containing cough syrups, injections, eye drops and dietary supplements without registration numbers from National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC).
The seizure also included restricted military camouflage face caps, raising serious concerns about the potential security implications of the illicit trade.
Other seizures recorded under the new Area Controller’s watch included foreign parboiled rice concealed among mica and gypsum stones; 500 cartons of Oki condensed milk concealed with Siddo pasta; 6,000 units of foreign Ginny pasta; and 6,500 units of foreign Doga pasta, among other prohibited and improperly imported goods.
DC Ibrahim unveiled the seizures during his maiden press briefing, held at the Command on Thursday, 15 October 2026, where he reaffirmed the Service’s resolve to sustain an uncompromising campaign against smuggling and other forms of economic sabotage.
Addressing the implications of the seizures, the Area Controller stated that the intercepted goods represented threats extending beyond trade violations. “These seizures of large consignments of unwholesome medicaments and restricted military camouflage caps may appear vastly different, but both represent severe threats to our national security, public safety and human well-being,” he said.
The Controller disclosed that the five trucks, valued at N1.235 billion, would be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria in accordance with Section 248 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
Beyond the headline-grabbing interceptions, DC Ibrahim and his vigilant enforcement officers recorded additional seizures comprising 4,013 units of Cannabis sativa; one wrap of Canadian Loud; 950 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) contained in kegs; 660 bags of foreign rice; four bundles of used pneumatic tyres; 106 bales of second-hand clothing; 1,320 pairs of smuggled new shoes; 3,700 used shoes; 252 imported face caps; 1,250 used bags; and 13 vehicles.
The combined seizure value of the intercepted goods was put at N3,153,591,000 billion, reflecting the scale of the Command’s enforcement activities within the period under review.
Describing the seizures as evidence of the Command’s uncompromising stance against illicit trade, DC Ibrahim said the interception of Cannabis sativa was particularly troubling because of its potential consequences for public health, youth development and national security. “This is a clear testament to our zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and economic sabotage. For emphasis, the seizure of Cannabis sativa is particularly worrisome, given its far-reaching impact on our youth, public health and national security,” he stated.
He explained that the Command’s enforcement strategy was not merely intended to confiscate prohibited goods but also to protect consumers, preserve the integrity of the nation’s borders and create a more favourable environment for legitimate businesses and local manufacturers.
“We are removing illicit goods to safeguard public health and support local producers. Under the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, PhD, MFR, our Command is fully equipped and strategically deployed to neutralise illegal trade and dismantle smuggling operations across the region,” he stressed.
Reaffirming the importance of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug trafficking, the Area Controller formally handed over the seized Cannabis sativa to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation and necessary action.
“In line with inter-agency synergy and national protocol, we are formally handing over the seized Cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Idiroko Special Command, for further necessary action,” Ibrahim stated.
He emphasised that effective collaboration among security and regulatory agencies remained indispensable to dismantling smuggling networks, strengthening border security and preventing prohibited goods from finding their way into the Nigerian market.
The Area Controller also expressed profound appreciation to the CGC for his dynamic leadership, support and consistent encouragement, noting that his administration continues to promote operational effectiveness, professionalism and a culture of excellence across the Service.
He equally commended the officers and men of the Ogun I Area Command for their courage, diligence and steadfast commitment to duty, acknowledging that their collective efforts, despite operational challenges, had been instrumental in achieving the recorded successes.
DC Ibrahim further appreciated sister security agencies, relevant stakeholders and traditional institutions for their cooperation and support in the fight against smuggling.
Issuing a stern warning to smugglers and their collaborators, the Area Controller declared that the Command would sustain its enforcement offensive and leave no room for those seeking to undermine the nation’s economic and security interests.
“Smugglers and their collaborators are hereby warned to steer clear of Ogun 1 Command. We remain vigilant, alert and ready to confront any threat to the economic and security interests of our nation,” he warned.
Earlier on, in a major victory for wildlife conservation and border security, the NCS, Ogun 1 Command, had intercepted three live pangolins concealed in sacks at the Abeokuta waterside. The seizure underscored the Service’s unwavering commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The Command’s patrol team, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted the endangered animals abandoned by suspected smugglers who fled upon sighting Customs operatives. The pangolins were found tightly bound in sacks, a cruel method of concealment used by wildlife traffickers to evade detection.
The pangolin seizure was the first achievement of the Command under Ibrahim. The animals had since been handed over to the Green Finger Wildlife Conservation for rehabilitation and eventual release into a protected habitat.
