Uchenna Cecil Izuora
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recorded ₦19,840,280,788.50 in revenue between January and July 2026, even as it intercepted 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa and other contraband with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N365.16 million.
The Command also intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials allegedly being illegally conveyed through the border corridor, alongside pharmaceutical products and 310,000 sticks of cigarettes.
The Customs Area Controller, Seme Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Seme Border in Badagry, Lagos State.
Kaila said the revenue figure represented a 24.45 per cent increase over the Command’s total revenue collection of ₦15,941,258,676.01 for the whole of 2025. The seven-month revenue performance means that the Command has already surpassed its entire 2025 collection by ₦3,899,022,112.49. He attributed the improved revenue performance to enhanced compliance, stakeholder engagement and strengthened operational efficiency.
The Customs Area Controller said the development demonstrated that effective enforcement and trade facilitation could be pursued simultaneously. He said the Command remained committed to creating an enabling environment for compliant traders to conduct legitimate business while denying smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy.
Kaila further said the Command would continue to support the Federal Government’s economic reforms, promote regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and facilitate compliant cross-border trade.
Kaila said the expired noodles, packed in 50kg sacks, were intercepted following credible intelligence after the consignment was deceptively declared as food items. According to him, further examination revealed that many of the noodles had deteriorated and were visibly decomposing, while intelligence indicated that the products were intended to be repackaged, relabelled and introduced into the Nigerian market. He said the interception prevented potentially harmful food products from reaching unsuspecting consumers.
The Command also intercepted 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, which were smuggled through illegal routes. Kaila said the seizure was part of the Command’s efforts to check smuggling, protect government revenue and support local agricultural production.
In its anti-drug enforcement operations, the Command intercepted 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg and 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg. It also seized 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes. The Customs boss said the illicit drugs and other harmful substances posed serious risks to public safety, adding that the seizures had helped to disrupt criminal supply chains and prevent the products from reaching Nigerian communities.
In what the Command described as a major national security interception, its officers also seized 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor. Kaila said the explosive materials could be exploited by criminal elements for violent crimes, including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. He disclosed that the explosives had already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation.
The Command further intercepted one used speedboat, one used water bike, a 2017 model Toyota Land Cruiser, a 2016 model Toyota RAV4 and a 2010 model Nissan Versa. According to Kaila, the total DPV of all the items displayed at the briefing stood at ₦365,163,709. He warned smugglers and other criminal elements that the Seme border corridor would not provide a safe haven for economic sabotage.
He disclosed that the illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products seized by the Command would be formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action. He added that the explosive materials, alongside one suspect, had already been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit because of the sensitive nature of the seizure.
Kaila commended sister security and regulatory agencies for their cooperation and intelligence sharing, while also acknowledging the role of the media in informing the public about the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service.