The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 1,202 kegs of smuggled vegetable oil valued at N120.2 million in two intelligence-led operations conducted on March 19 and 24, 2026. The seizures, according to the command, are aimed at curbing unfair competition, protecting local producers, and supporting domestic job creation.
This latest interception follows earlier operations in March 2026 and December 2025, which saw thousands of kegs of vegetable oil removed from illicit circulation.
In a parallel operation highlighting inter-agency collaboration, the command handed over 285 sacks of mica stones weighing 50kg each and valued at N104.7 million to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. The handover, which took place at the command headquarters in Abeokuta, underscores the command’s commitment to preventing illegal exportation of Nigeria’s solid minerals and ensuring that revenue-generating resources are properly regulated.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller O.O. Afeni, represented by Assistant Comptroller E.K. Onyeasor, emphasized that the illegal trade in solid minerals threatens both national security and economic stability. He noted that the command remains “an impenetrable wall against the illicit outflow of our national wealth,” adding that the handover demonstrates the government’s “one-agency approach” in supporting regulatory frameworks. The Ministry’s representative, Engr. Ojediran Abimbola Olubumi, commended the command for its professionalism, noting that the mica stones would undergo geological analysis and be incorporated into the national mineral database.
The Ogun I Command also reported a remarkable performance in trade facilitation for March 2026. Export volume rose to 277.8 metric tonnes with an FOB value of $383,100, representing a 266 percent increase compared to March 2025. Officials attributed the growth to enhanced processing capabilities and robust monitoring of the Idiroko border axis and surrounding creeks, which continue to thwart smuggling activities and protect Nigeria’s economic interests.
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