The Nigeria Customs Service, Oyo/Osun Area Command, has intercepted a cache of police uniforms and insignia, firearms and explosives during anti-smuggling operations conducted in August 2026.
Among the items recovered were 573 Nigeria Police Force crests, 92 yards of police camouflage fabric, one pistol, six pistol magazines, a pump-action magazine and 60 detonating cords.
The Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Wale Moses Adewole, disclosed the seizures on Thursday in Ibadan while briefing journalists on the command’s revenue performance and enforcement activities.
Adewole said the seizure of police-related materials was particularly concerning because the unauthorised possession or transportation of police uniforms and insignia could be exploited for impersonation and unlawful access to restricted locations.
Other items intercepted by the command included 2,012 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice, 550 bags of 25kg foreign parboiled rice, 2,440 wraps of cannabis sativa, 1,150 used tyres and 101 used compressors.
The seizures also comprised 48 packs of 225mg tramadol, used clothes and footwear, 5,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, foreign vegetable oil, sugar, 17 used vehicles, 10 means of conveyance and 10 containers of mercury.
According to the Acting Controller, the total Duty Paid Value of the intercepted goods stood at N4,106,951,689.
He explained that the enforcement operations were carried out as part of the command’s statutory mandate to check the movement of prohibited and restricted goods, protect the nation’s economy and safeguard national security.
Adewole also raised concern over the uncontrolled movement of mercury and other hazardous substances, stressing that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led strategies in partnership with other security and regulatory agencies.
On revenue collection, he disclosed that the command generated N65,661,343,026.94 between January and August 2026.
The figure, he said, represented a 13.88 per cent increase compared with the N57,656,161,990.24 collected during the same period in 2025.
He attributed the growth to stronger revenue collection mechanisms, improved trade facilitation, increased engagement with stakeholders and better compliance among traders.
Adewole assured compliant businesses that the command would continue to combine effective enforcement with measures designed to facilitate legitimate trade.
The intercepted items were subsequently handed over to relevant personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency for further action.
