The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, has appointed Deputy Comptroller of Customs (DC) Olukayode Afeni as the Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Ogun I Area Command.
The formal handover ceremony from the outgoing Area Controller, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, took place on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at the Command Headquarters, Idiroko, marking a seamless transition in the leadership of one of the Nigeria Customs Service’s most strategic land border commands.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer, of the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Chado Zakari on Friday.
Speaking at the event, DC Afeni expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General for the confidence reposed in him, pledging to consolidate the achievements already recorded in the areas of trade facilitation, revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations.
“It is a great honour to assume the leadership of Ogun I Command. I am fully aware of the unique operational environment of the Command, given its vast borders and strategic importance to the national economy and border security.
“I assure you that I will consolidate the gains recorded by my predecessor and pursue continuous improvement in efficiency, enforcement, intelligence-led operations, stakeholder collaboration and community relations”, he said.
The new Acting CAC further emphasised his resolve to strengthen inter-agency cooperation and suppress smuggling activities to the barest minimum, while also prioritising personnel welfare and professional development.
DC Afeni is a seasoned officer with close to two decades of service in the Nigeria Customs Service, bringing with him extensive operational experience, administrative capacity and academic distinction.
He holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Industrial Design from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos.
His career development includes specialised training in conflict management and negotiation, strategic leadership management and rural border patrol operations. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (Chartered).
In his farewell remarks, the outgoing Area Controller, Comptroller Otunla, described his tenure as “challenging yet fulfilling,” noting that the Command recorded notable successes in curbing smuggling, enhancing trade facilitation and improving personnel welfare.
Beyond seizures and revenue, Otunla said emphasis was placed on inter-agency collaboration, which significantly strengthened border security and crime control within the Command’s area of responsibility.
“I am confident that DC Afeni will consolidate the gains and lead the Command to greater heights,” he stated.
The transition, the Service noted, reinforces ongoing efforts to sustain the suppression of smuggling activities, strengthen border security and safeguard the vast land borders under the Ogun I Area Command.
