A Nigeria Customs Service officer was fatally shot by suspected smugglers in Ogun State, highlighting the persistent risks faced by security personnel on Nigeria’s volatile border corridors. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, 3 February 2026, along the Ilara–Ijoun axis in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, a region notorious for cross-border smuggling activities.
The victim, Assistant Superintendent of Customs Mustapha Akiyode, was killed during an ambush while on duty. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, confirmed the incident in a statement on its official X handle, expressing profound regret. The area is a known smuggling route, frequently used for the illicit movement of goods into Nigeria from neighboring countries.
In response, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu of FOU Zone ‘A’ described the killing as “a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by officers engaged in border enforcement.” Aliyu, who recently assumed command, emphasized that the unit has shifted to an intelligence-driven anti-smuggling strategy designed to dismantle smuggling syndicates through professional enforcement and inter-agency collaboration.
This operational approach has already yielded significant results. Within its area of responsibility, the unit reported the interception of 144 smuggling attempts involving a diverse range of prohibited and uncustomed goods. Seizures include 6,954 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 77 bags of foreign sugar, 21 units of used vehicles, 3,362 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 20,700 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS), 915 bales of used clothing, 581 used refrigerator compressors classified as hazardous waste, and a 20-foot container of stone-coated aluminium roofing sheets. The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all seized items stands at ₦3,319,893,255.00.
A major focus of the new strategy is the disruption of narcotics trafficking. Comptroller Aliyu disclosed that officers seized 3,029 parcels of synthetic cannabis indica, weighing 1,431 kilograms, a significant blow to drug supply chains in the region. He warned that drug trafficking finances and fuels broader criminality, including banditry and terrorism, and urged perpetrators to abandon the illicit trade.
Eight suspects were arrested in connection with the various seizures. Following standard procedure, the intercepted cannabis was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution. The NDLEA commended Customs for its diligence and assured that the drugs would be disposed of legally.
The attack underscores the hazardous nature of border security work in parts of Nigeria and demonstrates a renewed enforcement push by Customs authorities. The combined success in seizures and arrests signals an intensified effort to curb smuggling and disrupt the financial networks of criminal groups operating in the southwest border region.
