PHOTO: Comptroller Keila (up) signing documents relating to some of seized drugs handed over to officers of NDLEA at Seme, today.
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 3,300 explosive cartridges and generated ₦19.84 billion in revenue between January and July.
PHOTO: Keila showcasing some of the seized items
This amount represents a 24.45 percent increase over the N15.94 billion collected throughout 2025 .
The Customs Area Controller Abdullahi Kaila announced this today, at a Seme Border press briefing in Lagos State.
He said the seized 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials were illegally smuggled through the Seme border corridor alongside expired food, illicit drugs, foreign rice, and other prohibited items, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦365.16 million.
He added that the explosive materials were intercepted in a major security operation aimed at preventing dangerous items from entering the country
Kaila said the seizure represented one of the most serious threats to national security among the items intercepted by the Command, warning that explosive materials could be exploited by criminal elements to facilitate violent crimes.
The Area Controller said the successful interception was the result of the vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven operations of Customs officers, supported by collaboration with sister security agencies.
“Among the seizures displayed today is one that poses perhaps the greatest threat to national security. Our officers intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor.
“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security,” Kaila said.
Kaila revealed that the explosive materials, together with one suspect, had already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit because of the sensitive nature of the seizure.
He said the transfer was to ensure the safe custody of the materials and facilitate further investigation by the appropriate authorities.
Kaila described the interception as a demonstration of the Command’s commitment to protecting the country against transnational criminal networks, noting that officers and men of the Seme Area Command remained dedicated to securing the nation’s border.
The Area Controller attributed the improved revenue performance to enhanced compliance, stronger stakeholder engagement, improved operational efficiency and intensified enforcement against smuggling.
“Effective enforcement and efficient trade facilitation are complementary responsibilities,” Kaila said, stressing that the Command would continue to facilitate legitimate trade while denying smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy.
He added that the seizure of the 3,300 cartridges of explosive represented a significant national security intervention, given the potential of such materials to facilitate violent crimes if they fell into the hands of criminal elements.
Due to the sensitive nature of the seizure, Kaila said the explosive materials, alongside one suspect, had already been handed over to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force for safe custody and further investigation.
The Command, he said, also intercepted 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, following credible intelligence and surveillance.
Kaila said the truck carrying the consignment had been deceptively declared as conveying food items, but thorough examination by Customs officers revealed the expired noodles.
He said intelligence indicated that the products were allegedly intended to be repackaged and relabelled for sale to unsuspecting consumers in Nigeria.
According to him, the interception prevented potentially harmful food products from entering the Nigerian market and underscored the role of border enforcement in protecting public health.
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