The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has announced a string of high-profile interceptions valued at ₦3.2 billion, even as the Command recorded an impressive ₦1.5 billion revenue for the month of September — representing a 182 per cent increase over its August collection.
Disclosing this at a media briefing on Thursday at the COWA Complex, Seme Border, the Controller of the Command, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, said the seizures underscore the NCS’ strengthened enforcement operations and the success of ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, compliance and inter-agency collaboration.
Adenuga revealed that operatives of the Command, in a joint operation with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), intercepted five trucks laden with 10,000 bags of expired flour imported from Egypt, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦1.21 billion.
In separate anti-smuggling operations, the Command also seized 1,104 parcels of Cannabis Sativa (marijuana) and 120 packs of Tramadol (120mg). Two suspects arrested in connection with the narcotics were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.
Other contraband items confiscated during the period included foreign parboiled rice, second-hand clothing, cough syrup containing codeine, and five used vehicles, all valued at a combined ₦1.99 billion DPV.
“These seizures reflect the Command’s unrelenting resolve to protect Nigerians from harmful and prohibited products while safeguarding government revenue,” Comptroller Adenuga said. “Our officers remain alert, professional, and committed to ensuring that the Seme border remains a secure and compliant trade corridor.”
Despite the intensified enforcement operations, the Command also posted strong revenue performance, collecting ₦1.5 billion in September, a sharp increase of 182 per cent compared to August.
Adenuga attributed this to the effectiveness of the Comptroller-General of Customs’ reform agenda, which prioritises compliance, transparency, and data-driven monitoring of goods across Nigeria’s borders.
He said in alignment with the Federal Government’s economic diversification drive, the Command also facilitated the export of 53,989.46 metric tonnes of goods, with a Free on Board (FOB) value of ₦7.96 billion. The total Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fee generated stood at ₦39.86 million, covering agricultural produce and manufactured goods.