By Sandra Chukwunyere
In a recent operation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) operatives at the Seme Border Command have intercepted 5 trucks laden with smuggled goods, including 2,800 bags of 50kg rice and used clothing, along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.
Speaking at the press briefing on Thursday, Customs Area Controller, Seme Border Command, Comptroller Ben Oramalugo PhD said that the seizures were made between July 1 and July 19, 2025, as part of the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Oramalugo said: “The operatives of the Command, acting on credible intelligence and coordinated enforcement strategies, successfully intercepted and seized a total of 5 trucks laden with smuggled goods,”
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The seized goods included 2,800 foreign parboiled rice, 50kg each, and 250 bales of used clothing, with a Duty Paid Value of N919,500,626.00.
Other notable seizures during the period included 898 parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana), 1,319 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 40 bags of Sugar (50kg each), 64 bags of flour (50kg each), 50 cartons of Ketchup Tomato, 1 boat and engine, 20 bales of second-hand clothing, and 4 bales of used shoes.
The total value of all seizures during the period under review is N1,268,794,474.00.
Compt Oramalugo attributed the successful operation to the vigilance, resilience, and doggedness of the officers and men of the Seme Area Command, as well as the collaborative support from other security agencies, particularly the Nigerian military.
The Federal Government’s ban on the importation of rice through land borders is aimed at protecting domestic rice farmers and millers, thereby reducing dependency on imported rice.
“Nigeria is the highest producer of rice in Africa, with an annual output exceeding 8 million metric tonnes, surpassing Egypt and Tanzania,” Oramalugo remarked.
In addition to the seizures, the Command facilitated the movement of 1,837 trucks, equivalent to over 116,723.26MT of made-in-Nigeria goods, with a Free On Board (FOB) value of N22,368,388,976.10.
The National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fees stood at N111,841,944.87.
Between May and July 2025, the Seme Area Command generated a total revenue of N1,593,676,123.26.
The Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Seme Area Command, who received the seized Cannabis Sativa, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to securing the nation and pledged continued collaboration with the Customs.
