Gloria Odion Maritime reporter 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has dealt a major blow to drug trafficking networks with the interception of 4,143.5 kilograms of Cannabis Indica valued at ₦26.57 billion, cleverly concealed inside a 40-foot container carrying imported used vehicles.

The illicit consignment was uncovered during a joint examination conducted by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Command’s Enforcement Unit.

The interception followed credible intelligence, which prompted the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, to order a comprehensive examination of 40-foot container No. FANU1933352.

The operation, carried out on Friday, July 10, 2026, led to the discovery of one of the largest cannabis seizures recorded at the nation’s premier port.

The container had been declared to contain three used vehicles—a 2015 red Nissan Micra, a 2019 black Toyota Corolla S, and a 2015 grey Toyota Corolla.

However, a meticulous inspection revealed 162 bags containing 8,287 parcels of Cannabis Indica, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight of the narcotics to 4,143.5 kilograms.

Investigators found that four of the bags had been concealed inside the red Nissan Micra, while the remaining 158 bags were strategically hidden beneath the container floor and in the spaces between the three vehicles.

No narcotics were found inside either the black Toyota Corolla S or the grey Toyota Corolla.

Speaking on the seizure, Comptroller Oshoba described the interception as another demonstration of the Apapa Area Command’s unwavering resolve to prevent the importation of prohibited items, particularly illicit drugs that threaten public health, national security, and the economy.
He noted that the successful operation aligns with the zero-tolerance policy of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, against smuggling and all forms of illicit trade.

The Customs Area Controller reiterated the Command’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while sustaining robust enforcement against prohibited and restricted imports.

He also commended the officers involved for their professionalism, vigilance, and dedication.

“This seizure once again demonstrates our unwavering commitment to ensuring that only legitimate trade thrives at Apapa Port,” Oshoba said.

“As investigations continue, we remain resolute in making the port inaccessible to those engaged in unlawful activities prohibited by our laws.

“I also wish to reassure our compliant traders of our continued support. They will continue to benefit from the trade facilitation measures introduced by the Comptroller-General of Customs to promote seamless and legitimate business operations.”

Following the interception, Comptroller Oshoba ordered the seizure of the container in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and other relevant laws.

The seized Cannabis Indica will subsequently be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation, prosecution of those involved, and other necessary legal actions.

The seizure underscores the growing synergy between the Nigeria Customs Service and the NDLEA in combating transnational organised crime, particularly the trafficking of illicit drugs through the nation’s seaports, while reinforcing the Federal Government’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders and protecting the public from the devastating effects of narcotics.

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru

Let’s be completely honest about why food prices are killing us in Nigeria right now. Everyone is yelling about poor farm yields, expensive fertilizer, and bad weather.

But there is a massive, quiet killer that nobody seems to want to talk about: the absolute nightmare of moving food from point A to point B.

Right now, we push over 80 percent of our freight onto broken roads. Think about a truck driver hauling tomatoes from a farm up North down to Mile 12 market in Lagos.

Between the collapsing asphalt, the endless security checkpoints, and the agbero extortion, those trucks sit for days in the heat. Half the food rots before it even hits a consumer’s plate.

That rot is basically a hidden tax that makes every single plate of food in this country more expensive. If we want to fix hunger, we have to look past our ocean coastlines and fix the logistics channels right inside our own backyard.

True food security is going to live or die by how we use our inland waterways and dry Ports.

Moving things by water is just common sense because it is drastically cheaper than burning diesel on a highway.

The Niger and Benue rivers are sitting right there—natural blue highways connecting rural farming communities straight to major commercial hubs.

If we can move bulk grains, yams, and livestock on barges instead of trailers, we instantly slash the cost of logistics.

When transport costs drop, market prices drop, simple. Plus, if we actually invest in river Ports with proper cold-storage docks, we can finally stop losing 40 percent of our harvests to post-harvest rot.

Then you look at our Inland Dry Ports in places like Kaduna, Funtua, Jos, and Kano. Right now, people only think of them as places for handling customs paperwork and international shipping containers.

That is a massive waste of potential. These dry Ports need to become major, decentralized food hubs.

Imagine a dry Port equipped with massive grain silos, modern food processing plants, and direct rail links. Instead of a desperate farmer selling their harvest for pennies to a predatory middleman because they are scared the food will spoil, the dry Port gives them a place to store, grade, and ship their produce safely based on real demand.

But let’s talk about the elephant in the room: money and politics.

The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is operating on tight budget realities, making it incredibly hard to fund these critical infrastructure and safety upgrades quickly.

On top of that, bureaucratic source-deductions by the Accountant-General keep choking the cash flow of the very maritime agencies trying to do the work.

The federal government cannot finance this alone. We desperately need real Public-Private Partnerships.

We need to give private investors a reason to build the specialized agricultural docks, cold-storage warehouses, and barges we actually need.

At the same time, we have to stop the madness of regulatory turf wars. Right now, agencies like NIWA and the Shippers’ Council are tripping over each other, creating multiple transport levies that do nothing but inflate the final cost of food.

You cannot solve a food crisis on the farm alone. Food security is entirely dependent on transport efficiency. It is time for the government to stop treating agriculture and maritime as two separate worlds.

If we clear the channel and get our waterways and dry Ports working for our food supply, we can finally feed this nation.

Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a Strategic Refresher Course for 100 Deputy Comptrollers as part of its commitment to strengthening leadership capacity, preparing senior officers for higher responsibilities, and sustaining ongoing institutional reforms.

The workshop, organised by the Service’s Human Resources Development Department in collaboration with the Customs Police Unit, began on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada.

Declaring the programme open on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Commandant of the College, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) Dow Gaura, described the participants as carefully selected officers being groomed for greater leadership responsibilities within the Service.

According to him, the refresher course is designed to equip the officers with the knowledge, discipline and leadership qualities required to lead by example and effectively guide the next generation of Customs personnel.

“These officers are expected to serve as role models for the next generation of Customs personnel.

“This training extends beyond professional competence; it is focused on discipline, succession planning, conduct and exemplary leadership,” Gaura stated.

Delivering the keynote lecture, retired Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Dera Nnadi, reminded participants that promotion to senior ranks comes with increased responsibility rather than personal privilege.

“The rank of Deputy Comptroller does not merely confer authority; it confers service.

“You owe responsibility to the Service, your colleagues, your subordinates, the nation’s leadership and our stakeholders,” he said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies of the College, Comptroller Haniel Hadison, urged the officers to uphold the core values of discipline, professionalism and regimentation.

He stressed that senior officers must demonstrate exemplary conduct, maintain high professional standards in appearance, and foster positive relationships with their subordinates.

In his welcome address, the Acting Customs Provost Marshal, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Sanusi Saulawa, explained that the refresher course was specifically designed to prepare Deputy Comptrollers for the expanded responsibilities associated with senior leadership positions in the Nigeria Customs Service.

He noted that the initiative reflects the Comptroller-General’s unwavering commitment to continuous capacity development, adding that officers must continually update their knowledge, strengthen their leadership competencies, and uphold the discipline, professionalism and integrity expected of future managers of the Service.

Participants expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General for approving the training, describing it as timely, relevant and impactful.

They pledged to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the course to strengthen discipline, improve service delivery and uphold the reputation of the Nigeria Customs Service as they assume greater leadership responsibilities across the country.