The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has prevented expired and decomposing food products from entering the country, intercepting 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles concealed in a truck declared as carrying food items.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller of Customs, Abdullahi Kaila, disclosed this at a press briefing held at the Command on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, saying that officers of the Command remain committed to securing the nation’s borders, facilitating legitimate trade and generating revenue for national development.
According to him, officers intercepted the truck containing the expired noodles, which pose a serious public health concern, during enforcement operations after it was deceptively declared to be carrying food items.
“Upon examination, we uncovered 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilograms. What was discovered was deeply disturbing because many of the products had already deteriorated and were visibly decomposing,” he said.
Other seizures recorded by the Command include: 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes, among other prohibited items, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦365,163,709.
He further disclosed that the Command intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials, which were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation.
On revenue generation, the Area Controller said the Command remitted ₦19,840,280,788.50 into government coffers, compared with ₦15,941,258,676.01 recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. He attributed the performance to sustained enforcement and intelligence-driven operations.
In line with the provisions of the NCS Act 2023, the intercepted items were handed over to representatives of relevant sister agencies for appropriate action.
Receiving the consignments on behalf of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Deputy Director and Coordinator, NAFDAC, described the seizure as a product of effective inter-agency collaboration. “This is a clear demonstration of a working synergy from top to bottom and it will continue to keep this country safe from all social vices,” he said.
