A fierce gunfight erupted between operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, and smugglers at the Ijoun border area of Ogun State, leading to the interception of 445 bags of 50kg smuggled foreign rice.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, the unit’s Area Controller, Kola Oladeji, credited the successful operation to intelligence gathered by officers and the cooperation of local chiefs and residents in Ilara, Ijoun, Tobolo, and Ilaro border communities.
According to Oladeji, the rice had been hidden in the bush by smugglers who planned to move it under the cover of darkness.
However, Customs operatives, acting swiftly, seized and transported the contraband to the Federal Government warehouse in Ikeja.
Despite the operation’s success, the smugglers managed to escape, abandoning their vehicles—likely after being tipped off by informants about the approaching officers.
The Customs boss condemned the persistent defiance of smugglers, warning that enforcement efforts would intensify under the agency’s Operation Swift Sting initiative.
He emphasized that his unit operates under the directive of Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi, focusing on revenue generation, anti-smuggling measures, and facilitating legal trade.
“We wouldn’t have called this press briefing, but some of you inquired about our sustained presence in the area over the past five days.
Our deployment was based on intelligence indicating plans to smuggle contraband into the country,” Oladeji explained.
He reassured border communities that Customs prioritizes their safety and avoids unnecessary confrontations, stating, “We always observe our rules of engagement because these people are Nigerians.
“We do not seek to harm anyone, which is why we sometimes let some of them go.”