Uche Cecil Izuora
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has expanded war against smuggling, seizing 5,015 bags of foreign parboiled rice equivalent to eight trailers alongside various other contraband items valued at over N1.18 billion within six weeks.
Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu disclosed these figures during a press briefing at the unit’s Ikeja headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday. The seizures resulted from intelligence-led operations conducted across Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Lagos states.
Between September 1 and October 7, 2025, the unit recorded a total of 125 successful interceptions targeting smugglers and economic saboteurs.
Besides rice, confiscated items included 15 used (Tokunbo) vehicles, 640 parcels of Cannabis Sativa weighing approximately 431.8kg, 460 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (totaling 11,500 litres), 143 bales of used clothing, 390 bottles of Codeine, foreign-branded drugs, 19 cards of Tramadol, 210 used tires, and a 20-foot container of Calcium Lactate seized for false declaration.
Comptroller Shuaibu reaffirmed the unit’s commitment to sustaining the crackdown against illicit trade to protect the economy