CUSTOMS CRACKDOWN: N273m SMUGGLED GOODS SEIZED AS NCS MOVES TO PROTECT LOCAL INDUSTRIES

Agency intercepts 1,996 kegs of illegal vegetable oil, warns smugglers against sabotaging Nigeria’s economy

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command, has intensified its fight against smuggling with the interception of prohibited goods worth over N273 million in a move aimed at protecting local manufacturers and safeguarding thousands of jobs.

The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Giwa Dauda, disclosed this during a press briefing in Calabar on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, where he revealed that officers intercepted two 20-foot containers loaded with 1,996 kegs of foreign refined vegetable oil along the Odukpani-Calabar Highway.

According to Dauda, the seizure was made on June 14, 2026, during a routine patrol operation when officers discovered the products concealed inside a truck. The seized vegetable oil has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N195.5 million.

He explained that the interception was part of the Customs Service’s ongoing efforts to enforce the Federal Government’s import prohibition policy and prevent illegal imports from undermining Nigeria’s industrial growth.

Comptroller Dauda said vegetable oil production is one of the areas where Nigerian manufacturers have invested heavily, warning that the continued influx of prohibited foreign products could weaken local industries, discourage investors, and threaten employment opportunities within the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

“Allowing prohibited foreign products into the Nigerian market will undermine local production capacity and negatively affect businesses that are contributing to economic development,” he said.

Beyond the vegetable oil seizure, the Command also intercepted 1,500 used tyres and 105 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing, bringing the total Duty Paid Value of all seized prohibited items to N273.7 million.

The Customs boss further disclosed that officers also intercepted 800 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), raising the total quantity of petrol seized by the Command in 2026 to 5,760 litres. He added that the product was safely disposed of in line with approved procedures due to its highly combustible nature.

While reaffirming the Command’s commitment to curbing smuggling, Comptroller Dauda warned economic saboteurs to desist from illegal importation, stressing that such activities distort fair competition, weaken domestic industries, and undermine government’s efforts toward economic diversification and industrialisation.

He assured that the Customs Service would continue to deploy intelligence-driven operations and enforcement measures to protect Nigerian businesses and ensure compliance with the nation’s trade policies.