Customs Seizes N1.35bn Contraband, 19th Century Artefacts

The Nigeria Customs Service, under the command of Olukayode Afeni, intercepted two 19th-century artefacts and seized contraband valued at N1.35 billion in Ogun State. The operation took place at the Idiroko Border Post and was part of a renewed focus on intelligence-driven efforts to combat smuggling.

The seized items included 5,455 kegs of premium motor spirit (PMS), 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 2,539 jerry cans of smuggled vegetable oil, 435 cartons of foreign spaghetti, and 2,547 parcels of cannabis sativa. Additionally, the operation led to the seizure of second-hand clothing, footwear, imported sugar, used tyres, pharmaceutical products, perfumes, and two vehicles.

Four live pangolins were also confiscated and transferred to wildlife conservation authorities. The artefacts are set for official transfer to the National Museum in Abeokuta for expert appraisal.

The command reported a revenue generation of N285,652,469, surpassing the previous year's N259,265,495, attributed to enhanced baggage assessment and strict enforcement of customs policies.