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DC AFENI PRESENTS ROBUST STEWARDSHIP SCORECARD AT OGUN 1 CUSTOMS DURING HIS HANDOVER CEREMONY, EXCERPTS;
DC-OO-Afeni, CONTROLLER FOU ‘A’ NCS
HANDING OVER SPEECH OF DEPUTY COMPTROLLER OLADOPO AFENI ON THE OCCASION OF HANDING OVER AND TAKING OVER CEREMONY HELD AT THE OGUN 1 AREA COMMAND HEADQUARTERS CONFERENCE ROOM IDIROKO ON
30 SEPTEMBER 2026
It is my honour to welcome you all to the conference room of Ogun I Area Command Headquarters in Idiroko and with deep gratitude to Almighty God and a profound sense of fulfillment that I address you today. As I am to formally hand over the leadership of the Ogun I Area Command following my recent redeployment by the Comptroller-General of Customs to the Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, Lagos State
Since assuming leadership of this strategic Command on December 4, 2025, our team has pursued a clear, unwavering mandate. To strengthen border security, suppress smuggling, facilitate legitimate trade, and deepen stakeholders’ engagement across Ogun State.
Our concerted operational strategies, intelligence-led enforcement, and enhanced inter-agency collaboration have yielded remarkable, tangible results across all key focus areas.
The Leadership Transition from DC Afeni to DC Ibrahim at Ogun 1 Area Command, NCS
Border security is a collective responsibility. Over the past ten months, the Command host high-level joint engagements and security meetings to harmonize operations along Ogun border corridors. We deepened operational synergies with the DSS, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, NDLEA, and environmental management agencies to counter cross-border crimes effectively.
We sustained constructive dialogue with traditional rulers, youth leaders, and border community associations to build mutual trust and reduce hostility during enforcement operations.
I wholeheartedly congratulate my successor, Deputy Comptroller AA Ibrahim, on his well-deserved deployment as the Ag. new Area Controller Ogun I Command.
I am confident that he will bring his wealth of experience to bear in the administration of the Command. However, for him to succeed, he needs the unalloyed cooperation of everyone. On this note, I appeal for the unwavering support of all officers and men, Sister Security agencies, traditional institutions as well as our esteemed stakeholders for the new CAC. I pray for God’s guidance and intervention for successful tenure.
After few months of my tenure as Customs Area Controller Ogun 1 Command, the time has come for me to say good bye. During my term in office, a lot of hard decisions were taken for effective performance and general outputs.
I certainly made some difficult decisions that in my humble opinion yielded positive results. In the course of taking these decisions, feathers were ruffled, toes were stepped upon but each and every one of those decisions were not taken for personal gains, they were rather for set the target by Comptroller General of Customs.
It is in this light, that I am very pleased to say that the Command has also changed drastically both in structures, Revenue generation, Anti-smuggling activities and Trade facilitation.
Today, it is not my intention to list out all that we have accomplished. I believe they speak for themselves. Rather, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly offer some of my impressions on how things have fared for the past ten months.
What comes to mind first and foremost was the revenue we generated during the period. The Command was given a revenue target of N545,348,440.12 Under my leadership, the Command has far generated Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six Million, Five Hundred and Thirty-nine Thousand, one Hundred and thirty-eight Naira (N896,539,138.00) from January to August this year 2026.
This indicated that we have surpassed the revenue target with Three Hundred and Fifty Million Seven Hundred and thirteen Thousand Nine Hundred and twenty Naira Eighty-two Kobo (N350,713,920.82) a performance we collectively achieved through dedication, transparency and resilience.
In export, the Command recorded a significant surge in export activity, moving 31,177 metric tons of goods with a Free on Board (FOB) value of Four Billion Six hundred and forty-four million, seven hundred and forty Thousand One Hundred and Ten-naira nine kobo (₦4,644,740,110.09). This represents a substantial year-on-year improvement compared to the same period in 2025, which saw NO or ZERO export trade.
When I assumed duty at this Command, I met dedicated officers and men who demonstrated strong commitment to the core values of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Together, we pursued our mandate with firmness, professionalism, and unwavering resolve. Within the period under review, from 4 Dec to 29 Sept 2026, the Command under my watch recorded outstanding operational achievements in anti-smuggling. The Command has recorded 327 seizures. These include;
a. 32,449 parcels of both Cannabis, Colorado and Ghana loud
b. 50 sacks of raw Cannabis sativa
c. 19,525 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)
d. 8,787 cartons of Sphagetti
e. 11,578 bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice equivalence to 12 truckloads
f. 6,453 kegs of Vegetable oil
g. 6 pieces of live pangolins
h. 2,128 live cartridges
i. 1,315 Riodin explosive
j. 2 units of Revolver pistol
k. 11 units of Dane guns
l. 2 units of locally made pistol
m. 5 Camouflage pieces up and down
n. 32 mixed camouflage inner wears
o. 32 pieces of Camouflage Top
p. 197 camouflage trousers
q. 7units of foreign used vehicle, this includes 2026 Range Rover P530 Autobiography just to mention a few.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures from January to date stood at an impressive 14,750,394,251.92, fourteen billion, seven hundred and fifty million, three hundred and ninety-four thousand, two hundred and fifty one naira, ninety- two kobo.
Beyond seizures and revenue generation, as the chairman joint border security, we also placed strong emphasis on strategic collaboration.
We sustained a robust synergy with sister security agencies across the border, which resulted in the successful handing over of seized illicit drugs to the NDLEA, Idiroko Special Command, and arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the control of small Arms and Light Weapon (NCCSALW), and resolution of many security challenges.
This inter-agency cooperation significantly strengthened border security and crime control within the Command’s area of responsibility.
In the area of Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental Initiatives, our commitment extends beyond core customs enforcement to fostering holistic community growth and environmental stewardship.
In July 2026, the Command proudly sponsored the AFENI Cup inter-school football tournament at Iko Gateway Grammar School, promoting discipline, athletic excellence, and unity among local youth, to foster peace and discourage youth involvement in smuggling. Furthermore, our Inter-Command Athletic Competitions in August and September 2026 reinforced physical fitness and camaraderie among security personnel which command became champion in volleyball.
Demonstrating our dedication to climate action, we launched a green border afforestation initiative, tagged “Green Border & Environmental Sustainability” planting hundreds of trees along critical border corridor to mitigate environmental degradation and promote sustainable ecosystem management.
As part of the ongoing CSR and community relations initiatives of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD, two major infrastructure projects in our AoR are fully completed and will soon be commissioned, Igiri High School, Ijofin Ipokia LGA, the Complete overhaul of classroom blocks, principal’s office, and new sanitary facilities to provide a safe, modern learning environment.
A newly constructed jetty built to boost riverine transportation, enhance safety for commuters and fishermen, and support local trade also at Ijofin.
These projects reflect the Service’s dedication to improving the welfare of its host communities and fostering stronger collaborative relationships along the border corridors. Details regarding the official commissioning ceremony will be planned together with the incoming Controller and will be announced anytime soon
Equally important to us was the promotion of peaceful coexistence. We maintained harmonious relationships with traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, youths, and host communities. This peaceful environment greatly enhanced operational effectiveness and promoted mutual trust and respect.
These accomplishments over the past ten months are a testament to the dedication, resilience, and integrity of our officers and men, as well as the unwavering support of the Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD and the management team.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, as I formally hand over today, I have absolute confidence in the leadership capacity, professionalism, and experience of the Incoming Area Controller, DC AA Ibrahim. You are inheriting a Command built on discipline, cooperation, and commitment to excellence. I am convinced that under your leadership, Ogun I Area Command will attain even greater heights. I assure you of my continued support and goodwill as you take over this noble responsibility.
As this chapter draws to a close, I extend my profound appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs and the entire NCS Management structure for their continuous support, strategic leadership, and provision of operational tools necessary for our success.
I sincerely thank all officers and men of Ogun I Area Command for your loyalty, dedication, courage, and professionalism throughout my tenure. Your sacrifices, sometimes under very challenging conditions, will always be remembered and appreciated. I urge you to extend the same level of cooperation and commitment to my successor. I deeply appreciate our traditional institutions, community leaders, stakeholders, and sister agencies, for your consistent support, understanding, and collaboration. Your cooperation made our achievements possible.
As I proceed to my new assignment, I carry with me the fond memories of teamwork, achievements, and mutual respect that defined my stay at Ogun I Area Command. Once again, I thank the CGC for the opportunity to serve. I pray for continued peace, progress, and operational success for Ogun I Area Command.
In closing, let me echo the words of Saint Paul in saying that “I have run with perseverance and have finished the race (here in Ogun I)”. Whether I have finished the race successfully or not is not for me to say – I will leave it to posterity and you all to be the judge.
Remember, our nation depends on us to safeguard its economic prosperity and security
