By Tunde Ojudun
In a bold move to inspire excellence and deter smuggling in 2026, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, hosted a grand Gala and Awards Night to celebrate the valour, integrity, and dedication of his enforcement officers on Wednesday night 17th December, 2025. The event followed the Nigeria Customs Service’s work-life balance initiative introduced by Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi in November 2024.
Held in the presence of sister security agencies, community leaders, stakeholders, and dignitaries, the ceremony spotlighted the Command’s remarkable achievements, most notably, the seizure of narcotics and contraband worth over ₦2 billion in just 11 days.
DC Afeni emphasized that the awards were designed to boost morale and encourage healthy competition among officers. He praised the recipients for their transparency and commitment, noting that one officer earned five awards due to his consistent excellence.
“We are laying the groundwork to transform Ogun I into not just an enforcement hub, but a formidable revenue-generating command,” Afeni declared.
Chairman of the Awards Committee, DC Yusuf, described the event as a celebration of innovation and collective achievement. He highlighted the rigorous and transparent selection process, which evaluated the performance of coordinators, Officers-in-Charge, and patrol leaders across the year, especially amid the challenges of vast land borders and evolving smuggling tactics.
Coordinator of the CAC Compliance Team, Chief Superintendent of Customs M.O. Lawal, was the star of the night as he emerged the night’s most decorated officer, clinching five major awards: Patrol Team with Highest Number of Seizures, Patrol Team with Highest Value of Seizures, Team with Most Foreign Vehicle Seizures, Team with Most Rice Seizures, and Team with Single Highest Duty Paid Value Seizure.
In his acceptance speech, CSC Lawal credited his team and collaborating agencies, especially the Nigerian Army, for their unwavering support.
“Leadership is about knowing your men, training them, and building trust. When you do that, performance naturally follows,” he said.
He concluded with a promise: “I’m not sleeping. I’ve already started the next journey. By 2026, we’ll achieve even more.”
The 2025 Gala featured four award categories, Team, Individual, Special Recognition, and Complimentary, honouring those who turned routine duty into distinguished service. The event not only celebrated past accomplishments but also set the tone for a more impactful year ahead.
Earlier in the day, the command showcased the interception of contraband goods valued at over ₦2 billion within just 11 days.
Addressing journalists, Ag. Comptroller Afeni, declared a renewed crackdown on smuggling activities, warning that “there will be no hiding place” for perpetrators within the command’s jurisdiction.
Among the intercepted items were 16 parcels of heroin (16kg) valued at ₦240 million, 3,355 wraps of Cannabis Sativa worth ₦435.08 million, 2,200 kegs of foreign groundnut oil valued at ₦264 million, 5,417 cartons of foreign spaghetti estimated at ₦162.51 million.
The seized narcotics were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with the Idiroko Area Commander, Ekundayo Williams, commending DC Afeni for what he described as “spectacular seizures.”
The operation underscores the command’s intensified efforts to curb the influx of illicit drugs and smuggled goods through Nigeria’s southwestern border corridors.