Customs intercept explosives, expired noodles, narcotics at Seme Border
By Godwin Oritse
The Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted explosive materials, expired noodles, narcotics, foreign rice, cigarettes and other prohibited items in a major crackdown on smuggling and cross-border criminal activities.
Disclosing this to stakeholders at the border yesterday, Controller of the Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, said intelligence-led operations and sustained surveillance resulted in the seizures.
He said Customs officers intercepted 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, after subjecting a consignment to thorough examination.
Kaila said the products were deteriorating and some visibly decomposing, with intelligence indicating plans by smugglers to repackage and relabel them for the Nigerian market.
“Had this shipment succeeded, countless families would have been exposed to serious health hazards ranging from food poisoning and gastrointestinal diseases to other life-threatening medical complications,” he said.
The command also intercepted 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, allegedly smuggled through illegal routes.
On narcotics, Kaila disclosed the seizure of 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes.
“These are not ordinary commodities; they are dangerous products capable of destroying lives, fuelling criminality, encouraging substance abuse and undermining the future of our young people,” he said.
He further disclosed the interception of 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials, which he said could facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The explosives were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and investigation.
Other seizures included vehicles and watercraft with a combined Duty Paid Value of N365.1 million.
Meanwhile, the command generated N19.8 billion between January and July 2026, up from N15.9 billion in 2025, representing a 24.45 per cent increase.
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