Deputy Comptroller Olufemi Kukoyi psc, Acting Customs Area Controller, Lagos Free Trade Zone Command, reaffirms Customs’ commitment to combating drug trafficking through intelligence-led enforcement and inter-agency collaboration.
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Friday 16, October, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), through its Lagos Free Trade Zone Command, has intercepted 400 kilogrammes of cannabis, popularly known as Loud, concealed in a container at the Lekki Deep Sea Port, with an estimated duty-paid value of ₦2.26 billion.
The seized consignment was discovered following intelligence-led operations by the command, which intercepted a suspicious container scheduled for onward movement by barge to a bonded terminal outside the command’s jurisdiction.
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command, Deputy Comptroller Olufemi Kukoyi, disclosed this on Thursday, October 15, 2026, during the formal handover of the seized container and its contents to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Lekki Deep Sea Port.
According to Kukoyi, the container, with registration number PRSU1562064, was intercepted on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, following credible and actionable intelligence received by officers of the command.
He explained that the container was scheduled for onward movement through the waterways under the Customs transire procedure but was stopped for further scrutiny because of the potential security risks associated with allowing the suspicious consignment to leave the port environment.
Kukoyi said the container was subjected to non-intrusive scanning, which revealed anomalies that necessitated a comprehensive physical examination.
The joint examination was subsequently conducted at Lekki Freeport Terminal by officers of the NCS, NDLEA, Department of State Services (DSS) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
He disclosed that the examination uncovered seven pallets of packaged goods containing 400 packages of cannabis, commonly known as Loud, with a total weight of 400 kilogrammes.
The cannabis was concealed among 798 reams of A4 printing paper in an apparent attempt to evade detection by security operatives.
The Customs official put the estimated duty-paid value of the seized consignment at ₦2,262,960,000.
He said the command forwarded a detailed report of the interception and examination to the NCS headquarters, which subsequently approved the formal handover of the seized container and its contents to the NDLEA for further investigation and appropriate action in accordance with the law.
Kukoyi described the interception as a significant intervention in protecting public health and national security, noting that illicit drugs contribute to addiction, organised crime, insecurity, family disintegration and the loss of productive human capital, particularly among young people.
He attributed the success of the operation to intelligence-driven enforcement, the deployment of modern Customs technology and sustained collaboration among security and regulatory agencies.
The acting controller commended officers of the NCS, the NDLEA Lekki Port Command, the DSS, NAFDAC and the management of Lekki Freeport Terminal for their cooperation throughout the operation.
He also acknowledged the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, saying his emphasis on consolidation, collaboration and innovation had continued to strengthen the operational capacity of the Service in trade facilitation, revenue generation and enforcement.
Kukoyi stressed that the Customs Service’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade should not be interpreted as tolerance for illegal activities.
He assured compliant businesses, investors and port operators of an enabling environment while reiterating the command’s zero-tolerance stance on smuggling, drug trafficking and other forms of economic sabotage.
He urged port operators, shipping companies, clearing agents, importers and members of the public to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with timely and credible information to help prevent criminal activities.
In his remarks, the Commander of Narcotics and Area Commander of the NDLEA Lekki Port Area Command, Jonah Achema, commended the Customs command and other sister agencies for their cooperation in the interception.
Achema congratulated Kukoyi on his appointment as Acting Customs Area Controller following the retirement of Controller H. K. A. Abubakar, whom he described as a dependable ally of the NDLEA command.
He said the handover, coming barely days after Kukoyi assumed leadership of the Customs command, demonstrated a commitment to strengthening inter-agency collaboration and intensifying efforts against maritime drug trafficking.
According to Achema, the seizure sends a clear message to those involved in the illicit shipment of drugs through maritime routes that security agencies are prepared to detect and intercept their consignments.
He described the 400-kilogramme seizure as substantial, adding that it followed other significant interceptions at the port.
Achema recalled the seizure of two containers of illicit pharmaceutical opioids identified as tramadol 225 and Tramaking Royal 250, with a combined weight of 46 tonnes and an estimated street value of ₦35 billion.
He attributed the NDLEA command’s enforcement activities to the operational vision of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd.), which he said was focused on disrupting, dismantling and defeating drug trafficking networks.
The NDLEA commander further said the latest interception came in the wake of Marwa’s visit to Lekki Port, adding that the agency had sustained its vigilance and intelligence-driven approach to tackling drug shipments through the maritime facility.
Achema assured the Customs Service and other partner agencies that the NDLEA would sustain the existing cooperation responsible for the successes recorded by the command.
The handover underscores the continuing collaboration between the NCS and the NDLEA in combating drug trafficking and preventing Nigeria’s ports from being used as channels for the movement of prohibited substances.
Both agencies reiterated their commitment to intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement and the protection of legitimate maritime trade from criminal exploitation.
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