Nigeria’s Customs Service on Thursday showcased a major haul of illicit drugs and other contraband intercepted at the border, underscoring its intensified campaign against cannabis trafficking and calling on citizens to join efforts to protect communities from the drug’s devastating effects.
Deputy Comptroller O.O. Afeni, Acting Customs Area Controller of the Ogun I Command, detailed the seizures during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Idiroko. Among the items intercepted were 6,035 parcels of “Ghana loud” (a potent form of cannabis indica) and other prohibited goods. The total duty-paid value of the seized items was put at approximately 3.57 billion naira (about $2.2 million at recent exchange rates).
Afeni formally handed the narcotics over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Idiroko Special Command for further investigation and prosecution, in line with inter-agency protocols. He noted that from January to date, the Ogun I Command has transferred 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw cannabis sativa to the NDLEA.
“The smuggling of cannabis and dangerous variants like Ghana Loud, Colorado and Cannabis sativa are not a victimless crime. It destroys lives, breeds violence in our neighbourhoods, and undermines our economy,” Afeni said. He cited links between Ghana loud and acute psychosis, severe cardiovascular distress, rapid addiction, and long-term mental health damage. High profits from the trade, he added, help fund violent criminal networks, human trafficking, and the illegal spread of arms across borders.
Smugglers have grown more sophisticated in concealment methods, Afeni said, but enhanced intelligence, technology, and determined frontline officers have repeatedly disrupted their networks. “We will continue to put them on their toes, hit them very hard by making Ogun I command hostile for them,” he declared.
The briefing also listed other seized items from operations since late June, including thousands of bags of foreign rice, clothing, fuel, and consumer goods. While Customs continues to enforce import restrictions aimed at protecting local agriculture and industry, Afeni stressed that the drug seizures represent a direct threat to public health and security.
He appealed for broader societal involvement. “The fight against drug smuggling is a collective responsibility,” Afeni said, urging traditional rulers, youth leaders, and ordinary citizens to report suspicious activity along border corridors. He called on the public to support legitimate trade and reject the economic and social damage caused by illicit networks.
Afeni credited the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for the sustained operational pressure and praised the officers of the Ogun I Command for their vigilance. The command also reported July revenue of about 90 million naira from assessments and related charges, alongside significant legitimate export volumes, but the focus of the briefing remained the ongoing battle against narcotics.
Nigerian authorities have repeatedly warned that potent cannabis variants entering through land borders pose particular risks to young people. Officials say coordinated action by Customs, the NDLEA, and other security agencies, combined with public cooperation, is essential to choking supply lines and reducing the harm these drugs inflict on communities.