The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’, Kaduna, has intercepted 250 bags of foreign parboiled rice hidden inside a fuel tanker in a major anti-smuggling operation along the Yauri-Kontagora Road in Kebbi State.
The arrest, which followed a tip-off, led to the seizure of the contraband by operatives of the Unit on Saturday, August 3, 2025. The DAF tanker truck, typically used for transporting petroleum products, was escorted to the Customs office in Kaduna for inspection, where the rice was uncovered during a physical examination.
Acting Comptroller of the Unit, AM Alkali, confirmed the development in a statement released by the Unit’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Saidu Nuruddeen.
“Our operatives acted on credible intelligence and moved swiftly to intercept the truck. Upon examination, it was discovered that 250 bags of foreign parboiled rice, which are still under import prohibition, were cleverly concealed within the fuel tanker,” Alkali said.
He added that the total duty paid value of the seized goods stands at ₦20,510,000.
The Comptroller applauded his team for their alertness and professionalism, noting that the seizure reflects the Unit’s intelligence-driven approach to combating smuggling across its vast operational zone, which covers Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory.
“This operation demonstrates our renewed strategy, which relies on surveillance and actionable intelligence. We are determined to suppress smuggling and protect Nigeria’s economy from illegal activities,” he said.
In a related operation, the Unit on July 17, 2025, handed over unregistered pharmaceutical products and industrial chemicals to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, respectively.
Items handed over to NAFDAC included 58,740 sachets of various strength medications and 27 cartons of Analgin injection, a drug banned or restricted in several countries due to safety concerns. NESREA received three sacks containing 990 pieces of Riodin, an unregulated industrial chemical.
“These hazardous items pose serious risks to public health and the environment. We are working closely with relevant agencies to ensure that such substances do not enter circulation,” Alkali stated.
The Comptroller also praised President Bola Tinubu for extending the tenure of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, describing him as “a visionary leader committed to reforming the Customs Service.”
“His leadership has brought innovation, transparency, and professionalism to the Service. The extension of his tenure is a vote of confidence in the direction the Nigeria Customs Service is heading,” Alkali added.
