Customs FOU ‘A’ intercepts 4,000 packages of cannabis as Compt Gambo reinforces synergy with NDLEA, Police

…seeks Alake’s support to tackle smuggling

The Controller, Federal Operations Unit  FOU Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS) , Comptroller Gambo Aliyu has disclosed that the unit intercepted over 4,000 packages of cannabis indica, weighing more than two tonnes since he assumed office in December 2025.

Comptroller Aliyu disclosed this in Abeokuta Ogun State on Monday during separate visits to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Ogun State command, Ogun State Police Command, and the Palace of Alake of Egbaland.

During the visits, the Customs Controller sought deeper cooperation and synerry with the security agencies and the traditional ruler to strengthen the fight against smuggling and enhance border security within the state.

Addressing the NDLEA Commander of Narcotics,Tijani Rabe, Comptroller Aliyu noted that Ogun State alone accounted for 60 percent of all narcotics seized within the unit’s Southwest jurisdictiion while Seme/ Badagry and Oyo corridors account for 20 percent each.

“Since assuming duty on the 10th of December 2025, I and my team have taken out over 4,000 packages of Cannabis Indica along the Ogun corridor with a combined weight of over 2 tonnes. This underscores our commitment to keep the bad guys at bay. I know that together we can achieve much greater heights and Nigeria would be better off,” he said.

He noted that the recent onslaught against drug smuggling came at a high cost, citing the untimely death of one his officers during a coordinated operation along the Ogun corridor.

He reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to the mandate of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi which maintains zero tolerance for the proliferation of illicit imports.

Compt. Aliyu said the NCS would continue to leverage it’s robust interagency cooperation and coordination with sister agencies to bring these saboteurs to justice and cripple their supply chains, recognizing that such an onerous task cannot be achieved by Customs alone.

“We know that together we can achieve much more greater heights, and I’m sure that the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be better off when we do what we need to do to ensure that we stand up against these bad guys doing drugs, ” he said.

Responding, the NDLEA commander, expressed appreciation for the visit, stating that it was the first of its kind since his assumption of duty at the Ogun command.

He commended the Controller for his enforcement efforts and reaffirmed the agency’s readiness to deepen cooperation and intelligence sharing and joint operations aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks in the state .

“We have received here on a courtesy visit Controllers of Customs from Ogun command. But coming all the way from Lagos, recognizing the fact that Federal Operations Unit of the Customs covers a jurisdiction beyond its own location where its office is situated in Lagos underscores the expanse of the understanding of security operation by Comptroller Aliyu and his effort to make sure we expand the memorandum of understanding that we signed between NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs.

“This visit has sown a seed of professional collaboration between us and the Federal Operations Unit that did not exist. I assure you that going forward, we will be working together to serve the ultimate interest of Nigeria as a nation leveraging our expertise in drug enforcement and our professionalism in border patrol to control the menace of drug import into this country. For you to have been able to seize over two tonnes of cannabis within three months underscores your commitment to supporting the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria, ” he said.

At a separate visit to the outgoing Commissioner of Police, Ogun Command, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Lanre Ogunlowo, Comptroller Aliyu highlighted the long history of collaboration between customs and the police.

He expressed appreciation to the police leadership in the state for their swift action in pursuing the perpetrators responsible for the incident that led to the untimely loss of one his personnel to justice.

Responding the police commissioner
commended the NCS for its border security efforts, stating that
“We don’t have a choice than to continue working together. What we have working here in Ogun State is very excellent — all the agencies have different mandates but we work together so well based on interagency cooperation,” CP Ogunlowo said.

At the Alake’s Palace, Comptroller Aliyu sought Royal blessings, noting that enforcement alone is not enough to combat smuggling.

The Alake, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo commended customs for sustaining it revenue generation and pledged to continue discouraging smuggling among its subjects.