Despite FG’s Ban On Importation of Rice At Land Borders, Seme Customs Command Intercepts 5 Trucks of Rice, Others Worth N1.2billion
Seme Customs Area Controller, Compt Ben Oramalugo (1st from right) displaying seized rice to journalists on Thursday
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Seme Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Thursday announced the interception of five trucks laden with smuggled rice and other goods along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor with Duty Paid Value of N1,268,794,474.00.
Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria has placed a ban on the importation of rice through land borders to protect rice farmers and millers and reduce dependency on imported rice.
Nigeria is the highest producer of rice in Africa, with an annual output exceeding 8 million metric tonnes, surpassing Egypt and Tanzania. However, the rice mills continue to face challenges due to insufficient patronage, which hampers their ability to operate at full capacity.
This ban is a strategic measure to boost local production and ensure the sustainability of the agricultural sector.
However, briefing journalist on Thursday about the activities of the command from 14th May to 24th July 2025, Seme Customs Controller, Compt Ben Oramalugo said the seized trucks were found to contain a total of 2,800 foreign parboiled rice 50Kg each, and 250 bales of second –hand clothing.
Other notable seizures during the period include: 898 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 1,319 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 40 bags of Sugar (50kg each), Sixty-Four (64) bags of Flour (50kg each), Fifty (50) cartons of Ketchup Tomato, One (1) boat and engine, Twenty (20) bales of second-hand clothing, Four (4) bales of used shoes
“The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all seizures during the period under review is One Billion, Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy-Four Naira (₦1,268,794,474.00k) only.
“This operation is a testament to the vigilance, resilience, and doggedness of the officers and men of the Seme Area Command, as well as the collaborative support from other security agencies, particularly the Nigerian military” he said
In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration, Compt Oramalugo assured that some of the seized items, particularly the marijuana, will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for discreet investigation and further action.
In the area of revenue generation, the Customs boss informed that Seme Area Command, through commitment and professionalism, generated Total revenue of ₦1.5billion for the months of May and June 2025.
Also, in line with the Federal Government’s agenda on economic diversification through non-oil exports, the Command facilitated the movement of 1,837 trucks, equivalent to 116,723.26MT of made-in-Nigeria goods.
These exports had a Free On Board (FOB) value of ₦22,3billion only, while the National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fees stood at ₦111,841,944.87 only.
