By Bukola Akintola
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has intercepted five truckloads of expired flour valued at ₦1.2 billion while recording an impressive 182 percent revenue increase in September 2025.
Addressing journalists at the COWA Complex, Seme Border, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, said the 10,000 bags of flour were seized in a joint operation with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to him, the consignment originated from Egypt and was smuggled through the Benin Republic border. “The flour was produced in March 2024 and expired in November 2024. If these items had found their way into the country, they would have been rebagged and sold in local markets,” Adenuga stated.
He warned that consuming such expired products could have led to severe infections, food poisoning, and long-term health complications, adding that unwholesome goods undermine local industries and erode consumer confidence.
On the command’s performance, Adenuga revealed that revenue generation rose sharply to ₦1.5 billion in September, up from ₦531 million recorded in August. “This outstanding result reflects the impact of the Comptroller-General’s reform agenda, which prioritizes compliance, transparency, and data-driven operations,” he said.
He emphasized that under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, the Seme Command remains resolute in its zero-tolerance stance against smuggling while facilitating legitimate trade along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.
“Upon assumption of duty, I declared trade facilitation the hallmark of our administration. When trade is facilitated, processes are streamlined, costs are reduced, and more revenue is generated,” he added.
Beyond the expired flour, the command also showcased other seizures made in September, including cannabis sativa and foreign parboiled rice. Adenuga disclosed that the command facilitated the export of 53,989.46 metric tons of non-oil goods—mostly agricultural produce and manufactured items—with a Free On Board (FOB) value of ₦7.97 billion and a Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fee of ₦38.9 million.
He commended the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Badagry for its collaboration in intercepting illicit goods on the waterways and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to national security, public health, and economic stability.
“The Seme Area Command will continue to enhance its operations through technology, intelligence sharing, and stakeholder collaboration. Our mission is to ensure that the Seme–Krake border remains a gateway of prosperity, not criminality,” Adenuga said.
The seized expired flour and cannabis sativa were subsequently handed over to NAFDAC and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), respectively.
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