Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Begins Relocation to Newly Built N73billion Ogun Headquarters

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Controller in charge of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, has disclosed that the unit will soon commence the movement of its operations from Lagos to its newly commissioned N73billion Command Headquarters in Iperu, Ogun State.

DAILY TREND reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently commissioned the state-of-the-art facility alongside Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and other dignitaries.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos recently, Compt Aliyu said: “Permit me to inform you all that we shall commence the phased movement to our fully commissioned ultra-modern command headquarters at Iperu, Ogun State very soon.

“This is not merely a change of physical address, but a transformative step in the CGC’s vision for a fully modernised Customs service. The phased approach would ensure minimal disruption to our operations, while allowing officers and men to gradually settle into the new vicinity.

“This move would significantly boost moral, enhance inter-agency cooperation, strengthen real-time monitoring of smuggling routes across the South West, and position the unit to deliver even greater result in revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security.

“We are confident that the relocation would mark a new era of operational excellence for the FOU Zone A.”

Beyond the relocation, the unit is also accelerating the digitalisation of its operations in line with the vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for a modern, technology-driven Nigeria Customs Service.

Compt Aliyu sais the FOU Zone ‘A’ is deploying cutting-edge technologies, particularly geospatial intelligence to combat smuggling, under-declaration, duty evasion, and illicit trafficking across its area of responsibility.

Tools being deployed according to him include Geographic Information Systems (GIS), satellite imagery, drone surveillance, real-time vehicle tracking, and predictive analytics.

He said that these are being used to map high-risk border corridors and monitor smuggling hotspots in real time across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo states, enabling what the unit describes as proactive, intelligence-led operations.
Geospatial capabilities allow officers to overlay seizure data, movement patterns of contraband including rice, used vehicles, and narcotics, and intelligence reports onto digital maps, improving resource allocation, accelerating response times, and disrupting supply chains before goods reach major highways.

He noted that the newly commissioned Iperu headquarters is central to this modernisation drive.

“The facility will host an advanced Command and Control Centre equipped for geospatial monitoring, data analytics, and inter-agency collaboration with the NDLEA, the Police, and other security and intelligence organisations” Compt Aliyu said