\n\n
The Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against smuggling and illegal importation, seizing prohibited goods valued at more than ₦273.7 million in Cross River State. The operation was carried out by officers of the Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command as part of ongoing efforts to protect local industries, preserve jobs, and support the Federal Government’s industrialisation agenda.
Speaking on the development, Customs Area Controller Comptroller Giwa Dauda disclosed that operatives intercepted two 20-foot containers loaded with 1,996 kegs of foreign refined vegetable oil along the Odukpani–Calabar Highway on June 14. The products, concealed in a truck abandoned by its occupants, had a Duty Paid Value of approximately ₦195.5 million. Dauda described the seizure as significant, noting that unrestricted importation of such products could undermine local manufacturers, discourage investment, and threaten thousands of jobs within Nigeria’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
Beyond the vegetable oil seizure, Customs officers also confiscated 1,500 imported used tyres and 105 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing, all of which are prohibited under existing trade regulations. The command further intercepted 800 litres of Premium Motor Spirit during separate anti-smuggling operations, bringing the total volume of smuggled petrol seized by the command in 2026 to 5,760 litres. According to Customs officials, the combined Duty Paid Value of all the seized items stands at ₦273.7 million.
Dauda reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing government trade policies and combating economic sabotage through intelligence-driven operations. He warned smugglers to abandon illegal activities, stressing that the Customs Service would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts across its operational areas. The comptroller also appealed to members of the public to support anti-smuggling initiatives by providing timely and credible information that could help protect Nigeria’s economy, strengthen domestic production, and promote lawful trade.
