The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Idiroko, has intercepted a passenger bus conveying military camouflage uniforms and hard drugs valued at about N259.68 million along the Sagamu–Ore–Benin expressway in Ogun state.
The contraband, which included parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp), was intercepted in the early hours of Sunday during a coordinated intelligence-driven operation by customs operatives.
Acting customs area controller, Oladapo Afeni, said the bus, which had no registration number, was intercepted at about 1:30 a.m. while heading towards the eastern part of the country.
Afeni disclosed that the vehicle, belonging to a transport company, evaded several security checkpoints from Lagos before it was eventually tracked and apprehended within the Ogun corridor through what he described as precise intelligence patrol.
He said the seizure came at a critical time when the country is facing heightened security challenges, warning that the illegal movement of military uniforms posed a serious threat to national security.
According to him, preliminary investigations showed that the military uniforms were intended for distribution to unauthorised persons for possible use in impersonation and other criminal activities.
A 100 per cent physical examination of the bus uncovered 197 military camouflage trousers and shorts concealed in unmarked cartons, along with five complete sets of camouflage uniforms, 32 pieces of camouflage inner wear, and 32 camouflage tops.
Other items recovered included 154 parcels of synthetic Cannabis Indica (Canadian Loud) and seven parcels of Colorado, another synthetic strain of cannabis.
Afeni noted that additional items were also discovered in the vehicle and are currently under investigation to determine further details.
He said the success of the operation was made possible through intensive surveillance and credible intelligence gathering, adding that the agency had been tracking the movement of the contraband using real-time information.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure and are currently being investigated to uncover other members of the smuggling network.
He added that the combination of illicit drugs and military uniforms suggested a coordinated attempt to compromise national security.
The seized drugs were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation and prosecution, while Customs reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying anti-smuggling operations across its jurisdiction.
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