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Bandits and insurgents are utilizing motorcycles to spread terror among civilians in northern Nigeria, while the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is inadvertently facilitating this by allowing the smuggling of such vehicles and illicit substances like tramadol. This revelation, brought to light by an investigative report from FIJ, sheds light on systemic corruption within the NCS.
FIJ’s undercover investigation, titled “Undercover as a Smuggler,” conducted by its founder and editor-in-chief, Fisayo Soyombo, uncovered a web of corruption within the NCS. It revealed how Customs officials, driven by greed, accept bribes from smugglers and then compromise patrol teams by divulging their movements to these criminals.
The investigation disclosed that the NCS has streamlined smuggling routes in the southwest, particularly in Ogun State, under the control of Ibrahim Egungbohun Dende. According to a senior security source who spoke with FIJ anonymously, all smuggling activities in the region have been centralized under Dende’s control, consolidating authority and ensuring no Customs officer dares to intervene. This centralization, termed “headquarters movement,” enables the NCS to monitor and manage smuggling operations directly.
Reports indicate that smuggling activities temporarily halted in certain areas following the exposure of FIJ’s investigation. However, operations resumed shortly afterward, with 50 trailers linked to Dende reportedly smuggling goods into the country via the Oja-Odan-Ilaro axis.
The contents of these smuggled consignments include drugs like tramadol and motorcycles frequently used by bandits and terrorists, particularly in the northern regions of Nigeria. Dende, acting as a middleman, facilitates these transactions on behalf of the NCS. The source also alleges that Dende remits a portion of the profits from these illicit activities to Customs officials in Abuja, implicating high-ranking officers in the smuggling enterprise.
This modus operandi bears similarities to corruption uncovered in the northern region by Premium Times, where an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) implicated over 40 NCS personnel, including senior officials. These officials allegedly received bribes amounting to over N12 billion from smugglers, leading to the detention of seven individuals during a robust investigation.
The findings of these investigations underscore the pervasive nature of corruption within the NCS and highlight the need for comprehensive reform to combat smuggling and uphold the rule of law.
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