The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Ogun I Area Command, has confirmed that two of its officers were critically injured after suspected armed drug traffickers attacked Customs personnel during an anti-smuggling operation.
The incident occurred on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at about 4:00 p.m. at the Akokoro area of Iwoye in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, when officers acting on credible intelligence intercepted a 12-tyre truck suspected to be conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs and other prohibited items.
According to the Command, the suspects mobilised a large number of armed hoodlums and launched a coordinated attack on the patrol team before reinforcement could arrive. The attackers reportedly mounted heavy barricades at about nine strategic locations to block access routes, preventing timely reinforcement and creating a volatile operational environment.
The hoodlums also opened fire on the officers and disabled a Customs patrol vehicle by shooting out its tyres. During the exchange, two officers sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving intensive medical care in critical condition.
The smugglers reportedly exploited the barricades to escape with the intercepted truck.
Reacting to the incident, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Ogun I Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Afeni, condemned the attack, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable.
He reaffirmed that violent resistance would not deter the Command or the Service from carrying out its statutory responsibility to combat smuggling and protect national security.
Afeni disclosed that investigations have commenced to identify, track, and apprehend all those involved in the attack.
He also appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders within the Command’s area of responsibility to caution their subjects against smuggling and attacks on security personnel, warning that offenders would face the full weight of the law.
He assured law-abiding residents of their safety and reiterated the Nigeria Customs Service’s unwavering commitment to border security, public health, and the enforcement of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
