The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has intercepted a truckload of expired noodles alongside other contraband, including foreign rice and explosive materials, in a significant blow to smuggling syndicates.
Area Controller Abdullahi Kaila, while displaying the seized items at the Seme Border on Tuesday, reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to prevent dangerous and prohibited goods from entering the country. He stated that each seizure underscored the Command’s commitment to border security, legitimate trade facilitation, revenue generation, and disrupting criminal networks.
According to Mr Kaila, officers acting on credible intelligence stopped a truck falsely declared as carrying 1,306 sacks of expired noodles, each weighing 50kg. He revealed that many products had visibly deteriorated and were decomposing, with intelligence indicating an intent to repackage and relabel them for resale to unsuspecting consumers.
“Had this shipment succeeded, countless families would have faced serious health hazards, from food poisoning to life-threatening complications,” he warned, adding that the interception had averted a potential public health disaster.
The Command also seized 1,268 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice smuggled through illegal routes. Mr Kaila noted that such imports not only deny the government revenue but also undermine federal agricultural policies and threaten local farmers’ livelihoods.
In a separate operation, officers intercepted 373 parcels of cannabis sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg, and 310,000 sticks of smuggled cigarettes. Describing these as “dangerous products capable of destroying lives and fuelling criminality,” he warned of their links to cultism, armed robbery, and substance abuse.
Perhaps most alarming, the Command seized 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor. Mr Kaila described these as a grave threat to national security, with potential for facilitating terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping. The explosives have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation.
Additional seizures included one used speed boat, one water bike, and three used vehicles. The total duty-paid value of all displayed items stands at N365,163,709.
“We warn smugglers that Seme is no longer a safe corridor for economic sabotage,” Mr Kaila declared. He also announced that the Command generated N19.84 billion between January and July, surpassing its entire 2025 annual revenue target of N15.94 billion within just seven months.
“This achievement demonstrates that effective enforcement and efficient trade facilitation are complementary,” he said, reiterating the Command’s support for federal economic reforms and regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceuticals will be handed over to the NDLEA and NAFDAC for further action. Mr Kaila expressed gratitude to sister security agencies for their collaboration and intelligence sharing.
