The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has successfully facilitated the exportation of 2,029 trucks valued at N16.9 billion Free-on-Board (FOB) between March and May 2025, highlighting a significant boost in non-oil trade activities.
During the same period, the command collected N84.5 million in National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fees, underscoring export compliance and regulatory oversight growth.
Dr. Ben Oramalugo, the Seme Command’s Customs Area Controller (CAC), disclosed these figures on Wednesday while briefing journalists and showcasing confiscated contraband.
He further revealed that the command generated a total revenue of N847 million within the two-month timeframe, attributing this achievement to the team’s professionalism and unwavering commitment to plugging revenue leakages and ensuring all legitimate dues are paid to the Federal Government.
“In alignment with the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda, particularly through non-oil exports, the command facilitated the movement of over 88,036 metric tonnes of made-in-Nigeria goods from March 14 to May 13, 2025,” Oramalugo stated.
He emphasized that these efforts position the Seme Command as a vital trade enabler contributing to national economic growth through efficient border management and support for local manufacturers.
On the enforcement front, Dr. Oramalugo detailed several significant anti-smuggling operations. In March, officers intercepted a motorcyclist on Owode Road who abandoned a bag containing various foreign coins, including 49 two-dollar coins, 1,048 one-pound coins, and assorted Canadian and British pence coins.
In April, operatives stopped a Mazda vehicle along the Badagry-Seme Expressway suspected of carrying smuggled foreign currency coins, with a total estimated value of N48.9 million. These coins fall under prohibited items per the Common External Tariff, as they are not legal tender in Nigeria.
In May, acting on credible intelligence, customs operatives intercepted a red Toyota Avensis on the Badagry-Lagos Expressway carrying six canisters of corrosive mercury, suspected to be components for improvised explosive devices. One suspect was apprehended in connection with this seizure.
The command also seized a range of contraband goods within the period, including 553 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 1,415 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 750 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 30 cartons of tobacco, 50 cartons of ketchup tomato, one boat with an engine, 50 bales of second-hand clothing, five vehicles used for conveyance, and unregistered pharmaceuticals such as 420 bottles of CA-C100 Vitamin C and Haldol injection (5ml).
The total duty-paid value of all seized items amounted to N669 million.
Dr. Oramalugo reiterated the command’s commitment to inter-agency collaboration, stating that seized cannabis, mercury canisters, and unregistered pharmaceuticals would be handed over to appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution.
“This collaboration underscores our dedication to safeguarding national security,” he noted.
He concluded by reaffirming the command’s core objectives of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and smuggling suppression, while warning that the command would not be deterred by any form of obstruction or propaganda.
“We urge parents and guardians in border communities to discourage youths from engaging in smuggling and to support law enforcement officers in maintaining border security,” Oramalugo appealed.
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