Customs intercept bus loaded with military camouflage, 259m drugs in Ogun

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun State Area Command 1, Idiroko, have intercepted a luxury passenger bus conveying suspected military camouflage uniforms, cannabis sativa and other prohibited items allegedly smuggled into the country.

The acting Area Controller of the command, Oladapo Afeni, disclosed this during a press briefing held on Monday in Idiroko.

Afeni said the luxury bus, which had no registration number, was intercepted through intelligence-led surveillance after allegedly evading multiple security checkpoints from Lagos into Ogun State.

According to him, the vehicle was intercepted around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday along the Sagamu–Ore–Benin Expressway while allegedly transporting the contraband items to the eastern part of the country.

He revealed that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizure and would undergo further investigation to expose other members of the smuggling network.

The customs boss stated that the vehicle, belonging to a transport company, was also loaded with illicit drugs, including Colorado, alongside several uncustomed goods.

Afeni explained that preliminary findings suggested that the military camouflage uniforms were intended for unauthorised individuals and could have been used for impersonation or other criminal activities capable of threatening public safety.

“A 100 per cent physical examination of the vehicle revealed 197 camouflage trousers and shorts concealed in unmarked cartons, five two-piece camouflage uniforms and 32 mixed camouflage innerwear and tops,” he said.

He added that customs operatives also recovered 154 parcels of synthetic cannabis indica, popularly known as Canadian Loud, seven parcels of Colorado and other items still undergoing further checks and investigation.

Afeni attributed the success of the operation to extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance by officers of the command.

He noted that intelligence reports had exposed how some commercial transport operators were being used to move contraband goods across federal highways under the guise of legitimate transport business.

“Our network of informants and intelligence analysts worked tirelessly to track this particular threat using real-time intelligence,” he stated.

The acting controller estimated the street value of the seized drugs and military items at over N259 million.

He warned that the combination of illicit drugs and military uniforms in a single operation raised serious national security concerns.

“Unauthorised possession of military apparel is often associated with impersonation, where criminals disguise themselves as security personnel to perpetrate crimes or facilitate the movement of illegal goods,” Afeni said.

In line with inter-agency collaboration, the seized cannabis and the arrested suspects were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation and prosecution.