The Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted five trucks loaded with expired bags of flour worth ₦1.2 billion smuggled into Nigeria from Egypt.
Comptroller Adewale Adenuga, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), disclosed this during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Lagos.
He said the expired flour was seized through credible intelligence and strong inter-agency collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to him, the expired flour posed a major health risk to Nigerians.
He explained that consuming such products could cause severe infections, food poisoning, and long-term health complications.
Adenuga added that the goods were intercepted before they entered Nigerian markets.
He said, “The health risks associated with consuming such expired products are enormous.
These unwholesome goods could have endangered lives, undermined local industries, and weakened consumer trust.”
The Customs boss also revealed that the command seized several other illegal items.
These included 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa, 120 packs of tramadol, 2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 150 bales of second-hand clothes, 169 bottles of codeine syrup, and five used vehicles.
Adenuga stated that the total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all seizures stood at ₦1.99 billion.
He said these results reflect the efficiency of the Comptroller-General’s reform agenda focused on compliance, transparency, and data-driven operations.
In addition to the seizures, the Seme Command recorded significant revenue growth.
It generated ₦1.5 billion in September 2025, marking an impressive 182% increase compared to ₦531.4 million collected in August.
Adenuga attributed this rise to improved compliance and effective monitoring of goods.
He said the Customs Service remains firm against smuggling, describing it as “economic sabotage that robs the nation of vital revenue and endangers public welfare.”
Adenuga also commended the Nigerian Navy for its cooperation, especially the Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Badagry, for repeatedly handing over seized goods intercepted along the waterways.
He added that the command recently held two major stakeholder meetings to address multiple checkpoints, extortion, and trade barriers along the Seme–Krake corridor.
Heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, and Customs officers from Nigeria and Benin Republic attended the sessions.
Adenuga assured that all agencies reaffirmed their commitment to promoting smooth trade, eliminating illegal practices, and ensuring border security without compromising national safety
