The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, has dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that smugglers blocked the Atan Road in Ogun State, describing the claims as false and misleading.

In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Chado Zakari, on behalf of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs (DCC) Oladapo Afeni, the Command clarified that the traffic disruption was caused by a road accident and not by any smuggling activity.

According to the statement, a commercial trailer conveying goods fell at a severely damaged section of the Atan Road, resulting in a major traffic gridlock.

It explained that the vehicles trapped in the congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets, adding that their presence was wrongly interpreted by some onlookers as a convoy of smugglers.

The Ogun I Area Command urged members of the public and media organisations to verify information before circulating unconfirmed reports capable of causing unnecessary panic and misinformation.

The Command reaffirmed its commitment to combating smuggling while encouraging the public to rely on verified information from official sources.