From Rice to Riches: Nigerian Customs Busts Smugglers' N10 Billion Haul

Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, head of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, has promised to intensify the battle against smuggling within the zone in 2024. He made this known during a press briefing on Wednesday, 10 January 2024, at the unit's Headquarters in Ikeja.

Ejibunu warned smugglers that the unit will not relent in making seizures, arrests, and prosecuting criminals who contravene the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. He also warned against attacking Customs personnel, stating that any such attacker will face the full wrath of the law.

The unit made 1,119 seizures in 2023, with a total duty-paid value of N10,395,123,943. The most prominent of these seizures were foreign parboiled rice (139 trailer loads, 83,170 bags of 50kg), 13,706 kegs of 25 liters PMS, 8,372 kg of Indian Hemp, 2,942 pieces of tires, 2,153 bales of used clothes, 3,095 cartons of frozen poultry, 320 cartons of illicit drugs, and 132 units of foreign-used vehicles.

Sixteen people were convicted through the Federal High Courts for smuggling offenses, assault on Customs officers, and possession of foreign parboiled rice and Pangolin scales. More cases are still being prosecuted.