By Adenike Dada
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme-Krake Command has raised the alarm over the growing influx of expired and harmful products into the country, following the interception of a massive consignment of contraband goods valued at more than ₦1.9 billion in September 2025.
The Command’s Comptroller, Wale Adenuga, disclosed this at a media briefing on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the ECOWAS Joint Border Post, Seme, warning that unscrupulous importers are putting citizens’ lives at risk for profit.
Adenuga revealed that five trucks loaded with 10,000 bags of expired flour imported from Egypt were among the seized items. The product, manufactured in March 2024 and expired in November 2024, was intercepted through joint intelligence operations with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
He described the seizure as a major breakthrough in preventing a potential public health disaster.
“These expired products were meant for unsuspecting Nigerians. The health implications are severe — from infections to food poisoning and long-term organ damage. Beyond the health risk, they also threaten local manufacturers and national food security,”
— Comptroller Wale Adenuga, Area Controller, Seme Command.
Other intercepted items include:
- 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa and marijuana,
- 98 packs of Tramadol (120mg each),
- 169 bottles of DSP cough syrup with codeine,
- 2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice, and
- 150 bales of second-hand clothing.
Two suspects arrested in connection with the Tramadol seizure have been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.
While intensifying enforcement, the Command also recorded a ₦1.5 billion revenue haul in September 2025, representing a 182% increase compared to the previous month’s ₦531 million.
Adenuga attributed the growth to transparency reforms introduced by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and officers’ renewed dedication to efficient trade facilitation.
In support of the Federal Government’s non-oil export diversification policy, the Command also facilitated the export of 53,989.46 metric tons of goods worth ₦7.97 billion, including agricultural and manufactured products.
“These figures show that legitimate trade, not smuggling, remains the real path to prosperity,” Adenuga stated.
The Customs boss praised the Nigerian Navy, NAFDAC, and other agencies for their cooperation, noting that many of the rice seizures were handed over by the Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB).
He warned smugglers and unpatriotic traders to desist from endangering the nation’s economy and citizens’ health, saying the Command will maintain its zero-tolerance policy against economic sabotage.
“Every truckload of expired or illegal product intercepted is a victory for public safety. We will continue to close in on those who endanger lives and the economy in pursuit of profit,” he declared.
