The Ogun State Area Command 1 of the Nigeria Customs Service, Idiroko, has intercepted a luxury passenger bus loaded with suspected military camouflage uniforms, cannabis sativa, and other prohibited items allegedly smuggled into the country.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday in Idiroko, the acting area controller of the command, Oladapo Afeni, said the luxury bus, which had no registration plate, was intercepted through intelligence-driven surveillance after allegedly evading several security checkpoints from Lagos State to Ogun State.
Afeni said that two suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure and would be thoroughly investigated to uncover other members of the smuggling syndicate.
The contraband items were said to have been intercepted around 1:30 am on Sunday along the Sagamu–Ore–Benin Expressway while being transported to the eastern part of the country.
The area comptroller said the vehicle, belonging to a transport company, was also loaded with other illicit drugs, including Colorado, and several uncustomed goods.
According to him, preliminary investigations indicated that the military uniforms were meant for unauthorised persons and could have been used for impersonation or other criminal activities.
“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
“Other seized items included 154 parcels of synthetic cannabis indica, popularly known as Canadian Loud; seven parcels of Colorado; and other goods still undergoing investigation and system checks.”
Afeni stated that the success of the operation was made possible through rigorous intelligence gathering and surveillance.
He explained that intelligence reports had revealed that commercial transport operators were being used to move contraband goods along federal highways under the guise of legitimate business activities.
“Our network of informants and analysts worked tirelessly to track this specific threat using real-time intelligence,” he said.
The customs boss estimated the market value of the seized drugs and military items at over N259m.
Afeni stressed that the combination of illicit drugs and military uniforms in a single operation pointed to an organised attempt to threaten national security.
“Unauthorised possession of military apparel is often linked to impersonation, where criminals disguise themselves as security personnel to commit atrocities or facilitate the movement of contraband,” he said.
In line with inter-agency collaboration, Afeni handed over the seized cannabis and the suspects to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation and prosecution.
