Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a major anti-smuggling success with the interception of a large consignment of smuggled foreign vegetable oil valued at over N403.5 million.

The seizure followed strategic intelligence gathering and coordinated operations by officers of the Unit, leading to the interception of two trailers conveying the prohibited products.

Items seized include:
3,310 jerry cans (25-litre kegs) of Super Delicious vegetable oil;
10 jerry cans (10-litre kegs) of Super Delicious vegetable oil;
20 cartons of 5-litre sunflower vegetable oil; and
20 cartons of 3-litre sunflower vegetable oil.

According to the Unit, operatives intercepted one of the trucks carrying the consignment at about 10:00 p.m. on May 9, 2026, along the Ninth Mile axis of Enugu State, while the second truck was intercepted on June 7, 2026, along the Onitsha–Agbor Highway, following credible intelligence.

The Command disclosed that the seized goods have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N403,491,000.
Speaking on the seizure, the Controller of FOU Zone ‘C’, Bashir Balogun, described the operation as a significant blow to economic saboteurs whose activities undermine local industries and the nation’s economy.

He noted that the illegal importation of foreign vegetable oil negatively affects domestic production, technology transfer, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.

Balogun emphasized that the operation demonstrates the Service’s unwavering commitment to enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2022 and the Federal Government’s fiscal and protective policies prohibiting the importation of foreign vegetable oil.

He warned individuals and syndicates involved in smuggling to desist from such activities, stressing that the Nigeria Customs Service would continue to deploy intelligence-driven enforcement strategies to safeguard public health, national security, and the domestic economy.

The seized vegetable oil remains in the custody of the Service while investigations into the smuggling network continue.

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has successfully dismantled a wildlife trafficking syndicate through a joint operation conducted with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).

The intelligence-led operation resulted in the interception of 22 pieces of elephant tusks weighing a total of 130.84 kilograms, the arrest of four male suspects, and the seizure of the vehicle used for conveying the illicit cargo.

According to a statement issued by the Customs Zone A Command, the operation was made possible through extensive intelligence gathering, surveillance, and investigations into an organized wildlife trafficking network operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

The operation was coordinated by the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, and the SIS A Team of the Customs Intelligence Unit, with support from NESREA and the WJC.

The seizure was effected at about 4:30 p.m. on June 13, 2026, in Ofada, Mowe, Ogun State, while the suspects were simultaneously apprehended at various locations in Lagos.

Customs disclosed that the seized elephant tusks have an estimated black-market value in Asia of N126.39 million.

The recovered wildlife specimens and the suspects remain in custody pending the conclusion of investigations and subsequent prosecution.

Speaking on the development, the Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, described the seizure as a clear demonstration of the unit’s commitment to enforcing national and international wildlife protection laws.

He noted that the operation was in line with Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which the country is a signatory.

He further cited Section 55(1)(i) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which prohibits the illegal trade in endangered species.

“This seizure underscores our ongoing efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking and protect biodiversity,” Comptroller Aliyu stated.

The Customs chief commended NESREA and the Wildlife Justice Commission for their invaluable support, noting that the success of the operation was a testament to effective inter-agency collaboration.

He urged the agencies to sustain the momentum in combating criminal networks that exploit Nigeria as a transit route for wildlife trafficking and other transnational crimes.

Comptroller Aliyu also appealed to members of the public to support the Nigeria Customs Service by reporting suspicious shipments, activities, or individuals linked to wildlife trafficking.

He assured that the Service would continue to take decisive enforcement actions against anyone found violating wildlife protection laws.