The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, on Thursday said it intercepted contraband items valued at N1.99bn, including hard drugs and expired flour imported from Egypt, between September 1 and October 9, 2025, along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor.
Addressing journalists during his maiden press briefing at the Command headquarters in Seme Border, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, revealed that the expired flour—10,000 bags with a duty-paid value of N1.2bn—was transported in five trucks.
Adenuga described the products as “a serious public health risk,” noting that their consumption could have caused infections, food poisoning, and long-term health complications if they had reached Nigerian markets.
Located in Badagry, Lagos State, the Seme Border is one of Nigeria’s busiest land frontiers, connecting the country to the Benin Republic and serving as a key trade route along the 1,028-kilometre Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, which carries up to 70 per cent of West African trade.
He said the Command had intensified operations to suppress smuggling and promote legitimate trade, adding that during the review period, officers seized 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa and 120 packs of tramadol, while two suspects were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.
“Other items seized within the period include 2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 150 bales of second-hand clothing, 169 bottles of DSP cough syrup with codeine, and five used vehicles,” Adenuga said.
He condemned smuggling as “economic sabotage” that deprives the nation of revenue and endangers citizens’ welfare, stressing that resources lost to illicit trade could otherwise support Small and Medium Enterprises and job creation.
On export performance, the Customs chief said the Command facilitated 53,989.46 metric tonnes of non-oil exports worth N7.9bn Free on Board (FOB), attracting a N39.8m Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme fee.
Adenuga noted that the exported goods comprised agricultural produce and manufactured products, reflecting growing confidence in the Seme trade corridor under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme.
He added that the Command generated N1.5bn in September 2025, up from N531.4m in August, marking a 182 per cent revenue increase.
“The Command has intensified efforts to simplify procedures, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and ensure that legitimate traders enjoy the benefits of customs modernisation. Our focus on trade facilitation has reduced transaction costs, streamlined processes, and ultimately increased revenue,” he said.
Adenuga reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to balancing its mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and national security, leveraging technology and intelligence for effective border management.
He also commended the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Badagry, for its consistent collaboration in intercepting smuggled rice along the waterways.
Recall that the immediate past Customs Area Controller, Dr. Ben Oramalugo (Rtd.), made several notable seizures—including rice, used clothing, and cannabis—between February and September 2025, contributing to ongoing anti-smuggling operations along the Lagos–Abidjan route.