The Ogun State Police Command has rejected allegations of misconduct in its handling of a reported assault case linked to a landlord-tenant dispute in Ajuwon, saying officers acted within the law and followed due process throughout the investigation.

The Command issued the clarification after an online publication accused the police of criminalising a civil dispute involving tenants and a landlord in the Ajuwon area of Ogun State.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the Command described the report as “misleading” and said it distorted the facts surrounding the incident.

According to police authorities, the matter was first reported on 9 April 2026 by a relative of the landlord, who alleged that an altercation over electricity issues escalated into physical confrontation and later led to a medical emergency involving the landlord.

The police said all parties involved were invited lawfully and questioned as part of a standard investigation into allegations of assault and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

“The matter was handled strictly as a reported case of assault and breach of peace, with due regard to due process and the rights of all parties,” the statement said.

Police authorities added that the parties were later granted administrative bail while efforts were made to de-escalate tensions and encourage peaceful resolution.

Case later withdrawn, police say

The Ogun State Police Command said the complainant eventually withdrew the matter formally after both sides reportedly reached an amicable settlement.

The Command also denied allegations of unlawful detention.

“At no time were any persons unlawfully detained. All police actions taken were strictly within constitutional and procedural limits,” the statement added.

The police further argued that the case was investigated as a criminal complaint involving assault and breach of peace not as an attempt to enforce tenancy matters through criminal prosecution.

Why the issue matters

The controversy highlights growing public concern in Nigeria over the use of police intervention in landlord-tenant disagreements and other civil disputes.

Legal analysts have repeatedly warned against the misuse of law enforcement agencies in matters that should ordinarily be settled through civil litigation or mediation.

However, security experts note that police involvement becomes necessary when allegations of violence, assault, intimidation, or threats to public peace emerge during such disputes.

The Ogun State Police Command said misleading reports about police conduct could undermine public trust in law enforcement institutions.

“The Command remains committed to professionalism, neutrality, and strict adherence to the rule of law in the handling of all cases,” DSP Babaseyi stated.

CP Bode Ojajuni hosts UNILAG students, warns against cultism and drug abuse

In a separate development, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, hosted students and lecturers from the Department of Geosciences at the University of Lagos during a courtesy visit to the Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.

The delegation, led by Professor Akinmosin Adewale, included students studying Geology and Geophysics who were on a geological fieldwork excursion within Ogun State.

During the visit, Professor Adewale praised the Command’s security efforts and community policing initiatives, saying exposure to law enforcement institutions helps students build civic responsibility.

Police caution students against social vices

Addressing the students, CP Ojajuni urged young Nigerians to remain focused on their education and avoid criminal activities that could damage their future.

“Education remains a critical pathway to personal success and national development,” the police commissioner told the students.

He specifically warned against cultism, drug abuse, examination malpractice, and other forms of criminal behaviour.

Senior police officers, including Deputy Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Abdul and DCP Gbenga Adeoye, also encouraged students to become ambassadors of peace and lawful conduct within their communities.

The engagement formed part of broader efforts by the Ogun State Police Command to strengthen collaboration between security institutions and academic communities.

Growing focus on youth engagement

Security agencies across Nigeria have increasingly turned to schools and universities for public sensitisation campaigns aimed at discouraging cultism, cybercrime, drug abuse, and violent behaviour among young people.

Analysts say such outreach programmes can help improve trust between young Nigerians and law enforcement agencies, especially amid longstanding concerns over policing and accountability.

Student representative Adeniyi Oluwatobi thanked the police leadership for what he described as an impactful and enlightening interaction.

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service says it intercepted smuggled goods worth ₦5.5bn and uncovered hundreds of illegal trafficking attempts across South-West Nigeria within eight weeks.

The seizures included hard drugs, foreign rice, petrol, used vehicles, banned food products and mercury allegedly intended for illegal mining activities.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller of FOU Zone A, Gambo Aliyu, said the unit recorded 473 seizures between February and April 2026 through intelligence-led operations and inter-agency collaboration.

He said the operations were carried out under a special anti-smuggling campaign code-named “Operation Hawk”.

“This effort is an affirmation of our commitment in the fight against drug smuggling syndicates in the Zone,” Mr Aliyu said.

Cocaine, Methamphetamine and Cannabis Intercepted

Among the major seizures were 3,340 parcels of a synthetic strain of cannabis known as “Ghanaian loud”, weighing about 1,540kg.

Customs officers also intercepted 6.4kg of suspected cocaine and methamphetamine along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.

According to Mr Aliyu, operatives attached to the Gbaji outpost stopped a Toyota Highlander driven by a 71-year-old Nigerian man identified as Oni Iredia Martins on 30 April.

A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered two parcels of cocaine weighing 2.3kg and four parcels of methamphetamine weighing 4.1kg.

The Customs boss said the illicit drugs had an estimated street value of about ₦2.35bn.

He added that the narcotics would be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Why the Seizures Matter

The seizures come amid growing concerns over cross-border smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal trade routes in West Africa.

Security analysts have repeatedly warned that narcotics trafficking and fuel smuggling are contributing to organised crime and economic losses in Nigeria.

Customs officials say smugglers are increasingly adopting sophisticated concealment methods, forcing enforcement agencies to rely more heavily on surveillance technology and intelligence gathering.

Mr Aliyu said the unit had strengthened its Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) capabilities to track smuggling networks.

“Traffickers are devising different methods to perpetuate illicit trade. There is a need for critical security stakeholders to upscale intelligence sharing mechanisms,” he said.

Rice, Petrol and Used Vehicles Also Seized

The Customs Service listed several other confiscated items, including:

8,794 bags of foreign rice

22 used vehicles

31,705 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)

531 cartons of foreign poultry products

328 bales of used clothing

485 used tyres

1,188 kegs of vegetable oil

69 cartons of foreign spaghetti

1,863 used refrigerator compressors

Officials said these items violated import regulations and posed risks to local industries and government revenue.

Mercury Discovery Raises Environmental Concerns

In another operation, Customs officers intercepted four cylinders of high-grade mercury concealed inside a Toyota Avensis.

The chemical is regulated under the Minamata Convention on Mercury because of its environmental and health risks.

Authorities suspect the mercury was intended for illegal artisanal gold mining operations.

A suspect linked to the seizure was arrested and later granted administrative bail pending transfer of the case to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

Customs Expands Surveillance Technology

Mr Aliyu said the agency is now deploying geospatial intelligence tools including drone surveillance, satellite imagery, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), predictive analytics and real-time vehicle tracking to identify smuggling hotspots.

He added that the newly commissioned Customs command headquarters in Iperu would serve as a technology hub for inter-agency operations involving Customs, police and anti-drug agencies.

The unit also announced the recovery of more than ₦97.7m through demand notices issued over unpaid duties and questionable import declarations.

What’s Next?

The Nigeria Customs Service says it plans to intensify anti-smuggling operations across border corridors and strengthen collaboration with security agencies.

Officials say the latest seizures demonstrate the scale of illicit trade activities affecting Nigeria’s economy and underline the need for tighter border enforcement.

Mr Aliyu praised the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and officers involved in the operations.

“We will not relent in our mission to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s trade environment and protect our economy from illicit trade practices,” he said.

Nigeria and Ghana have signed a new anti-drug trafficking agreement, signalling a stronger joint offensive against criminal cartels operating across West Africa.

The deal was announced in Abuja on Tuesday as the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohamed Buba Marwa, hosted a delegation from Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission led by Maxwell Obuba Mantey.

Nigeria, Ghana send warning to drug cartels

Marwa said the renewed partnership should serve as a clear warning to criminal networks.

“Let this visit serve as a warning to those who seek to destabilize our societies with illicit drugs: Nigeria and Ghana stand united,” he said.

He added that both countries would “continue to innovate, collaborate, and dominate the tactical space” until communities are safer.

Why it matters

Drug trafficking remains a major threat in West Africa, with links to organised crime, money laundering, and rising domestic drug use.

Marwa warned that these threats are increasingly transnational.

“The threat posed by transnational organized crime… knows no borders,” he said, stressing that intelligence sharing and joint operations are key to limiting cartel activity.

Experts say closer cooperation between regional powers like Nigeria and Ghana could significantly disrupt trafficking routes, especially along maritime corridors increasingly used by smugglers.

Inside the new agreement

A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NDLEA and NACOC.

Marwa described it as a “significant milestone” that provides a structured framework to combat:

Illicit drug production

Psychotropic substances and precursors

Drug-related money laundering

“It moves our relationship from informal consultation to a structured, aggressive, and unified front against drug barons,” he said.

Ghana: A growing domestic challenge

Mantey said Ghana is facing a shift in its drug landscape.

“While we have historically been considered largely a transit point, there is now a growing domestic dimension,” he noted.

He highlighted increasing drug use and internal distribution as emerging concerns.

“No single country can effectively address this threat in isolation,” he added.

Deepening regional cooperation

Ghana described Nigeria as a regional leader in anti-narcotics operations.

“In many respects, we look to Nigeria as an elder brother,” Mantey said.

He emphasised that the partnership is not new, but is now being strengthened through practical collaboration.

“The true value of this partnership will be defined not by what we sign, but by what we implement.”

What’s next

Both agencies plan to expand cooperation in:

Intelligence sharing

Joint operations

Training programmes

Digital forensics

Organisational best practices

Officials say the focus will be on measurable outcomes and sustained collaboration.

Industry & public perspective

Security analysts say the agreement could improve enforcement efficiency across borders, especially as traffickers adopt more sophisticated methods.

Public health advocates also note that tackling drug supply must go hand-in-hand with prevention and rehabilitation efforts.