The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Area Command, and the Aseyin of Iseyin Land, Oba Dr. Sefiu Olawale Adeyeri III, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening community collaboration in the fight against smuggling and other trans-border crimes.
The monarch gave the assurance on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, when he led a delegation of traditional leaders and other members of his entourage on a courtesy visit to the Oyo/Osun Area Command, where they were received by the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Wale Moses Adewole, and members of the Command’s management team.
Oba Adeyeri said the visit was partly to reciprocate the earlier visit by Adewole to the Iseyin community as part of his stakeholder engagements with traditional institutions across the Command.
The monarch commended the Acting Controller for his efforts in revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations, assuring him of the continued support and cooperation of the Iseyin community.
He also pledged the community’s support for sustained sensitisation of residents on the dangers of smuggling and other forms of trans-border crime.
The Aseyin particularly praised Adewole for recognising the strategic role of traditional institutions in Customs operations, citing his engagements with the Alaafin of Oyo, Soun of Ogbomoso, Iba of Kishi, Okere of Saki and Onigbeti of Igbeti, among others.
He said such engagements had helped strengthen relationships between the Service, traditional institutions and communities across the Command.
Responding, Adewole expressed appreciation to the Aseyin and his entourage for the visit, describing the gesture as significant as Oba Adeyeri was the first traditional ruler to pay a courtesy visit to the Command since his assumption of office as Acting Customs Area Controller.
He reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining cordial relations with traditional institutions and other critical stakeholders, stressing the importance of collaboration in advancing the Command’s operational objectives.
The visit underscored the growing importance of community–Customs relations in promoting voluntary compliance, tackling smuggling, enhancing security and supporting the broader mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.