Customs Launches Afeni Cup 2026 In Idiroko To Tackle Smuggling Through Sports
Customs Launches Afeni Cup 2026 In Idiroko To Tackle Smuggling Through Sports
…Ogun I Command Says Football Will Keep Youth Off Border Crime, Promote Education.
By Success Okezie
In a strategic shift from enforcement to empowerment, the *Ogun I Command of the Nigeria Customs Service* has launched the *AFENI CUP 2026*, an inter-secondary school football tournament aimed at steering young people away from smuggling and toward productive futures.
The competition, unveiled in partnership with *Jonnyyeko College of Health Science and Technology* as part of the Command’s *Corporate Social Responsibility drive*, kicked off on *13th July 2026* at *Iko Gate Grammar School, Idiroko*. The grand finale is scheduled for *24th July 2026*.
Idiroko, a key border town in Ogun State, has for years battled youth involvement in smuggling due to its location. Customs officials say the AFENI CUP is designed to fill that vacuum with structure, discipline, and opportunity.
Twelve secondary schools from across the local government are competing. Hundreds of students will play, while thousands more are expected to attend matches and awareness sessions throughout the tournament.
Declaring the tournament open, the Acting Customs Area Controller, *Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni*, said the initiative reflects a new approach to border security.
“Smuggling robs our youth of their future,”_ D.C Afeni stated. “This competition is not just about football. It is about advocacy, about teaching life skills, and about showing these students that their potential goes far beyond the border tracks.”_
He added that the tournament will also serve as a scouting ground to *nurture sporting talent early* and encourage students to view football as a legitimate and profitable career path.
Education authorities, youth associations, and community leaders have endorsed the tournament as a _timely intervention_ to keep students in classrooms and away from illicit activities.
To reward excellence, organizers will present *grand prizes including educational materials, trophies, and cash rewards* to winning schools and outstanding players at the finale.
With AFENI CUP 2026, the Nigeria Customs Service says it is proving that sustainable security is about prevention as much as interception.
“Border security is not just about enforcement at the gates,”_ the Command stated. _”It is also about investing in the next generation. When we engage our youth through sports and education, we build a community that chooses opportunity over illicit trade.”
The Command hinted that the AFENI CUP could become an annual event to deepen youth engagement and public sensitization across border communities in Ogun State.
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