Harboursandport.com: Seme-Krake Border, Lagos — July 24, 2025: The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Seme Area Command, has announced sweeping operational successes between May 14 and July 24, 2025, showcasing its resilience against smuggling and its strategic role in trade facilitation and revenue generation.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the ECOWAS Joint Border Post in Seme, Customs Area Controller, CAC, Ben Oramalugo detailed a series of interceptions carried out by his team along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.
Within just 18 days from July 1 to 19, five trailers laden with 2,800 bags of foreign parboiled rice and 250 bales of second-hand clothing worth valued at N919.5 million; were impounded.
The Customs boss said other seizures included; 898 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as india hemp; 1,319 bags of foreign rice; 40 bags of sugar and 64 bags of flour; 50 cartons of tomato ketchup; a smuggling boat; second-hand clothing, and used shoes.
Oramalugo said the total Duty Paid Value, DPV of seizures over the period amounted to a staggering N1.27 billion.
In relation to revenue collection and export, he said Seme Command collected N1.59 billion in revenue for May and June alone. Further supporting Nigeria’s non-oil export agenda, over 116,000 metric tonnes of made-in-Nigeria products were exported via 1,837 trucks with an Free on Board, FOB value of N22.37 billion.
The Seme Customs Area Controller praised the dedication of his officers and the Nigerian military's support. He also applauded the Comptroller-General’s strategic provision of 12 patrol vehicles, which he said has enhanced border security and enforcement efficiency.
He explained that as rice importation through land borders remains banned to protect Nigeria’s agricultural sector, he warned against illegal trade activities stating; "Seme Area Command is not, and will never be, a fertile ground for smugglers."
He reassured legitimate traders of a safe trading environment while reaffirming the Command’s resolve to protect national economic interests.
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