Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B, Kaduna, have intercepted 250 bags of foreign parboiled rice hidden inside a fuel tanker in Kebbi, in a major anti-smuggling operation.
The rice, valued at N20.51 million, was seized on Sunday after customs officers acting on intelligence stopped a DAF tanker truck along the Yauri-Kontagora Road.
The vehicle was later escorted to Kaduna, where a detailed physical examination revealed the concealed goods.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the unit’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Saidu Nuruddeen, on behalf of the Comptroller of the Unit, Aliyu Alkali.
Alkali, who commended the officers for their vigilance and professionalism, said the operation underscored the NCS’s renewed resolve to suppress smuggling, protect local industries, and enforce Nigeria’s customs laws.
He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi , for his continued support and congratulated him on the recent extension of his tenure by President Bola Tinubu.
Describing the extension as “well-deserved,” Alkali hailed the CGC’s “visionary leadership and contributions to repositioning the NCS in line with global best practices.”
In a related development, the unit, on July 17, handed over a large consignment of seized pharmaceuticals and chemicals to regulatory agencies in Kaduna.
Items handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) included 58,740 sachets of 100mg and 50mg medicaments and 27 cartons of Analgin injection.
Additionally, three sacks of Riodin chemical, containing 990 pieces, were transferred to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
Alkali said the handovers were in line with the CGC’s directive to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and safeguard public health and the environment.
He urged continued support from the public and reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders and advancing national economic growth.
