Customs Intercept Navy Officer in Lagos Waterways Drug Bust

BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA

In a dramatic overnight operation that unfolded across the murky waters of Lagos, operatives of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service reportedly intercepted a canoe laden with illicit drugs known in narcotic circle as “Loud” which allegedly was being escorted by a senior officer of the Nigerian Navy stationed at Takwa Bay.

 According to insider accounts, the confrontation occurred at Agbami, a shadowy channel within the CMS waterways, where Customs officers reportedly engaged the naval operative in a confrontation and succeeded in impounding a canoe load of the consignment en route to a warehouse in Ijora.

The drugs were reportedly being ferried under the protection of the Takwa Bay Station Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Sam Galayima, whose name it was revealed has long circulated in whispers surrounding the Navy’s alleged complicity in drug trafficking across Lagos’ coastal communities.

Trusted sources say Galayima was acting as a courier for one Alhaji Koola, a notorious trafficker located within the Ijora axis of Lagos metroplois. The drugs were destined for Koola’s warehouse when the Customs team swooped in. The canoe was seized and transported to the Customs base at Obafon, Olodi-Apapa; leaving Galayima in helpless lamentation, according to our sources.

Investigations reveal that Galayima had allegedly received a staggering ₦40 million to ensure safe passage of the consignment. His role, insiders claim, goes beyond mere escort—he is said to be a key player in a well-oiled delivery network that moves narcotics from Takwa Bay through Liverpool waters to Bar Beach, servicing shoreline communities with impunity.

Despite that Galayima’s name has allegedly surfaced repeatedly in connection with drug logistics since been posted as OIC to Takwa Bay about half a year ago, he appears untouchable, suggesting a pattern of insider protection. The drug trafficking kingpin described as an “undertaker” supposedly rely on his naval credentials to bypass law enforcement.

And despite the gravity of these allegations, no formal charges have ever been brought against him, fueling suspicions of a high-level cover-up within the command structure.

This latest bust adds weight to longstanding rumours of rogue elements within the Navy facilitating drug trafficking. Yet, the absence of arrests or disciplinary action continues to raise questions about institutional complicity and the depth of corruption within maritime security apparatus.

As the seized drugs sit in Customs custody and Galayima reportedly scrambles to reroute the consignment to its owner, grave silence envelopes the waterways security network. Will the customs western marine authority blow the lid or will this be another case swept under the rug?

With ₦40 million allegedly changing hands and a known trafficker still expectant of receiving the balance of the consignment, the public is demanding answers and accountability.