By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, FOU ‘A’, Ikeja-Lagos, has intercepted 220 consignments of prohibited and smuggled goods with a Duty Paid Value of ₦3,237,132,640.00, while recovering ₦728,976,725.03 in lost revenue.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Customs Public Relations Officer, FOU ‘A’, Chief Superintendent of Customs Hussaini Abdullahi, ANIPR, on behalf of the Comptroller of the Unit, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu.
According to the statement, the operation was driven by sharpened risk profiling, rigorous compliance checks and targeted strikes against suspicious declarations.
Items seized during the period include 4,956 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice equivalent to eight trailer loads; 12 foreign-used vehicles; 2,683 parcels of synthetic cannabis, Sativa, weighing 1,439.9kg; 49 parcels of Ghanaian Loud weighing 26.1kg; one parcel of crystal methamphetamine weighing 0.35kg; 13 parcels of granular cannabis weighing 1.35kg: 240,000 tablets of Tramadol; 12,000 tablets of Hypnox; 22 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg; 964 jerrycans of 25-litre PMS, equivalent to 24,100 litres; 26 cartons of foreign vegetable oil; 686 cartons of foreign poultry products; 414 bales of used clothing ;and 2,947 pieces of used tyres, among others.
Comptroller Aliyu described the revenue recovery as encouraging and reaffirmed the Unit’s determination to identify and recover revenue lost through under-declaration, false declarations and other forms of customs fraud.
He urged importers, exporters and licensed customs agents to ensure accurate declarations and full compliance with extant customs laws, stressing that the Unit would continue to facilitate legitimate trade while taking decisive action against smuggling and revenue evasion.
The statement added that the interception of rice, vegetable oil, poultry products, used vehicles, used clothing and other prohibited goods would help protect domestic industries, support national food security and safeguard government revenue.
It also noted that the seizure of illicit drugs, unregulated pharmaceuticals and controlled substances would protect public health and prevent the circulation of harmful substances, especially among young Nigerians. The recovery of elephant tusks, it said, reinforces the Service’s role in combating illegal wildlife trafficking.
Comptroller Aliyu attributed the successes to enhanced intelligence gathering, risk profiling, inter-agency collaboration, intelligence fusion and public cooperation. He assured compliant traders of a fair and transparent trading environment, while warning that the Unit would sustain its zero-tolerance approach to smuggling and economic sabotage.
The Unit called for sustained partnership from the business community and the public, saying collective vigilance remains key to consolidating gains in revenue recovery, border protection and national economic development.
