Customs Intercept N1.9bn Worth of Hard Drugs and Expired Flour at Seme Border

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has announced the interception of various contraband items, including illicit drugs and expired flour imported from Egypt, with a total duty-paid value of ₦1.99 billion. The seizures were made between September 1 and October 9, 2025, along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor.

Speaking during his maiden press briefing at the Seme Border Command on Thursday, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, said that the expired flour, consisting of 10,000 bags valued at ₦1.2 billion, was transported in five trucks.

Adenuga warned that the expired products posed serious public health hazards, noting that their circulation in Nigerian markets could have resulted in infections, food poisoning, and long-term health complications.

Located in Badagry, Lagos State, the Seme Border remains one of Nigeria’s busiest and most strategic land crossings. It links Nigeria with the Benin Republic and serves as a key route on the 1,028-kilometre Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, which connects five West African nations—Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire—and accounts for about 70 per cent of regional trade. Over the years, the command has stepped up enforcement to deter smuggling and promote legitimate cross-border trade.

According to Adenuga, within the review period, the command also seized 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa and 120 packs of tramadol. Two suspects were arrested and handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.

Other confiscated items included 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.

On exports, the Customs boss revealed that the command facilitated non-oil exports totalling 53,989.46 metric tonnes, with a Free on Board (FOB) value of ₦7.9 billion and a Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fee of ₦39.8 million. The exported goods comprised agricultural produce and manufactured products, reflecting growing confidence in Seme as a viable export hub under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).

Adenuga further disclosed that the command generated ₦1.5 billion in September 2025, representing a 182 per cent increase compared to ₦531.4 million recorded in August.

“The Command has intensified efforts to simplify procedures, enhance inter-agency coordination, and ensure that legitimate traders enjoy the full benefits of customs modernisation. Our focus on trade facilitation has helped reduce transaction costs, streamline processes, and improve revenue,” he said.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to balancing its core mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and national security through the use of technology and intelligence-driven border management.

Adenuga also commended the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Badagry, for its collaboration in intercepting smuggled rice along the waterways.

His predecessor, Dr. Ben Oramalugo (Rtd), had also recorded several major seizures—including rice, used clothing, and cannabis—during his tenure from February to September 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to curb smuggling and promote lawful trade along the Lagos–Abidjan route.

Despite these successes, smuggling through land borders remains a significant challenge, particularly involving items such as rice, second-hand clothing, and other prohibited goods.