The Nigeria Customs Service, covering the Cross River, Calabar Free Trade Zone, and Akwa Ibom areas, recently confiscated 1,996 kegs of vegetable oil along with other smuggled goods. The total Duty Paid Value for the items reached N273.68 million. Area Comptroller Momodu Dauda announced the development during a media session in Calabar, highlighting that these seizures resulted from targeted anti-smuggling efforts conducted between early June and mid-week.
The cache of illicit items included foreign refined vegetable oil, used vehicle tyres, rolls of second-hand clothing, and Premium Motor Spirit. A major breakthrough occurred on June 14, 2026, on the Odukpani-Calabar Highway, where officers discovered a truck carrying two 20-foot containers. The suspects abandoned the vehicle and escaped before they could be apprehended. Inside, agents found the vegetable oil valued at approximately N195.5 million. Further seizures included tyres worth N61.39 million and clothing valued at N15.63 million.
Comptroller Dauda explained that these products are strictly prohibited to prevent threats to public health and to shield local businesses from unfair competition. He issued a firm warning to smugglers, promising that the command will increase intelligence-led enforcement to combat economic sabotage. Furthermore, he credited the recent operational victories to the reforms implemented by Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, which have bolstered the agency’s effectiveness. He also appealed to the public to provide helpful tips to assist in securing the national economy.
