By Stella Okocha
Harboursandportcom:Lagos-Nigeria November 25, 2025: The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has dismissed an online publication alleging misconduct by its officers along the Seme border corridor, describing the report as “misleading, unfounded and deliberately crafted to discredit lawful operations.”
In a press statement released on Monday, 24th November 2025, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman, said the publication does not reflect the realities of security operations under the leadership of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, who assumed office in September 2025.
According to the Command, border enforcement along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor has been significantly strengthened following renewed collaboration with the Nigerian Military and other security agencies. The reactivation of the Joint Border Security Meeting (JBSM) has also enhanced intelligence-sharing and coordinated operations, leading to what officials describe as one of the Command’s most impactful enforcement periods in recent years.
With intensified operations ahead of the yuletide season, the Command stated that it is not surprised that criminal networks disrupted by Customs activities are resorting to misinformation and sensational online narratives. However, it insists such tactics will not distract officers from their statutory duties.
The Command Performance records released also show that between 9th September 2025 and the present date, officers made multiple high–impact seizures, including over 4,000 bags of 50kg smuggled foreign parboiled rice, the equivalent of seven trailer loads; five trailer loads of expired flour; endangered wildlife species, including a lion cub and Patas monkeys; and over 2,000 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, among other items.
“These seizures underscore the Command’s renewed operational drive to safeguard Nigeria’s economic and security interests,” the statement said.
Aside seizures and enforcement, the Command also recorded a significant surge in revenue collection. Monthly figures rose from a previous average of N500–600 million to N1.5 billion in September and over N2.5 billion in October, marking an increase of more than 300%. This improvement, the Command noted, was driven by enhancing the facilitation of legitimate trade, closing revenue leakages, and tightening border checks.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and zero tolerance for corruption, the Seme Area Command said it will continue to uphold national security and trade compliance with the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the Service’s management team.
“The public is advised to disregard false reports and rely on verified information from credible channels,” the statement concluded.
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