According to the news report from Voice of Nigeria, the Customs Area Controller of the Kwara Command, Faith Ojeifo, announced that the Command generated N3.371 billion between June and July 2024.

Ojeifo also revealed that operatives of the Command intercepted 1,153 parcels of cannabis sativa (marijuana) concealed in fabricated compartments and other components of a DAF truck with registration number T-25750-LA, which was subsequently seized.

During a press conference in Ilorin, Ojeifo explained that the DAF truck, carrying the drugs, was intercepted along the Yamboa Axis of Bukuro in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State on July 3, 2024, at approximately 17:00 hours.

“While the search was ongoing, the driver realizing that the eagle eyes of our officers have discovered that there was concealment, abandoned the truck and fled into the bush to evade arrest, an action which triggered the interest of our operatives,” the Customs stated.

The duty paid value of the seized drugs, which were handed over to the state Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Fatima Popoola, is put at N57.668m.

According to him, the DAF truck worth N21.5m will be forfeited to the Federal Government in accordance with the provision of Section 250 of Customs service Act, 2023, which says that any ship, aircraft, vehicle or any means of conveyance found to have been gagged in or adapted in any manner for the purpose of concealing goods shall be forfeited.

The Customs Commander further disclosed that a total of 110 kegs with 2,750 litres of petrol, valued N550,000 were also seized by operatives of the command.

“Within the period under review, the area comptroller, put the total duty paid value of items seized at N42,702,650,” he explained further.

During the handover ceremony, to the NDLEA Commander, the Customs boss, explained that the event was to enhance interagency collaboration in line with the policy direction of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

Receiving the intercepted drugs, on behalf of the Chairman /Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd) the Kwara State Commander of the NDLEA, Fatima Popoola lauded the Customs Service and pledged the cooperation of the anti drug agency to apprehend all the suspects behind the seized drugs.