Comptroller Adenuga showcasing some of the seized flour.
Story by Dili Utomi
“A bonded terminal has been licensed here in order to facilitate the quick and easy clearance of goods through the corridor”.
Above is a part of the answers given by the Customs Area Controller of the Seme Area Controller, the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Wale Adenuga as he fielded questions, Thursday during his press briefing at the COWA complex of his Command.
Comptroller Adenuga who resumed the helmsmanship of the Command on the 8th of September seems to have hit the ground running by many indications. In his speech at the briefing, he revealed that “Guided by the CGC’s commitment to transparency and modernisation, the Seme Area Command has intensified efforts to simplify procedures, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and ensure that legitimate traders enjoy the full benefits of Customs modernisation and regional integration along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor”.
The new CAC who has spent 4 of the 5 working days of the week meeting and discussing with sister agencies representatives, traditional rulers, stakeholders, cross border agencies from Benin Republic along with journalists also detailed some of the Command’s recent performances.
He noted that “the Command generated a total of One Billion, Five Hundred Million, Twenty-Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Naira and Eighty-Eight Kobo (₦1,500,029,233.88) in September 2025, compared to Five Hundred and Thirty-One Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira and Forty-Five Kobo (₦531,462,332.45) only collected in August 2025, representing an exceptional increase of over 182%”.
Some of the journalists at the briefing.
In the area of export the Command facilitated Fifty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Nine Point Four Six Metric Tonnes (53,989.46) metric tonnes of goods with a Free on Board (FOB) value of Seven Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Three Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira and Seventy-Eight Kobo (₦7,969,376,198.78) only.
The total Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fee stood at Thirty-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Eight Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty-Four Naira, Forty-Two Kobo (₦39,868,354.42) only.
The CAC with NC Rita checking the seized cough syrup and cannabis sativa.
The Command through credible intelligence and strong inter-agency collaboration also made significant seizures in the period under review and these include:
Five (5) trucks conveying a total of 10,000 bags of expired flour originating from Egypt, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion, Two Hundred and Ten Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira (₦1,210,300,000.00) only, intercepted in a joint operation with the (National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control) NAFDAC.
Other seizures over the period include:
One Thousand One Hundred and Four (1,104) parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) intercepted through actionable intelligence.
One Hundred and Twenty (120) packs of tramadol 120mg seized by our operatives, with Two (2) suspects handed over to the NDLEA, Seme Command on October 7th, 2025 for further investigation.
2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), these were handed over to the Nigeria Customs Service by the Nigerian Navy after some sting operations at sea which yielded the seized bags of rice.
150 bales of second-hand clothing
169 bottles of DSP Cough Syrup with Codeine
5 used vehicles
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) for all seizures stands at One Billion, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, Ninety-Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Nine Naira (₦1,999,093,429.00) only.
There were hand over ceremony for the seized items as the director of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at Seme, Dr. Nurudeen Audu received the seized expired flour from the CAC.
The CAC with the seized Jerry cans of PMS.
Dr. Audu noted that “NAFDAC has continued to synergise with the NCS in protecting the nation’s economy and to curb the influx of illegal items into the country”. He added that “seized food items are usually sent to our laboratory at Oshodi for testing before they are allowed to be sold or taken to the internally displaced persons camps for distribution”.
Controller of Narcotics of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ajoku C. Rita who was on hand to receive the seized tramadol and cannabis sativa at the ceremony said that “we are working together, assiduously to make sure that these illegal drugs do not come in to wreck havoc on our youth”.
During the questions and answers session, Comptroller Adenuga informed the journalists that “plans are on the way to dispose off all the means of conveyance (vehicles) here as soon as possible as the CGC is aversed to any kind of wastage”.
He spoke about the events of the week where stakeholders, sister agencies representatives, the community leaders as well as the representatives of the Customs agency from Benin Republic were in different meetings with then and noted that the stakeholders are cooperating.
Comptroller Adenuga, CN Rita and Dr. Audu at the hand over ceremony.
Specifically, on the question of how many check points are approved between Mile 2 and Seme on the Nigerian side of the corridor, Comptroller Adenuga spoke precisely and said that only two check points have been approved to be at Agbara and Gbagi with with two patrol teams which are not stationary detailed to support them. He encourages the press men to do their investigation and reveal any agency that is operating multiple check points along the route.
On the question of morale, Comptroller Adenuga said that “officers now get their promotions when and as at due and different supporting physical infrastructures, for medical and sporting processes are springing up”.
He thanked the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the sister agencies, the community leaders, stakeholders and the press for all their support.
The Only God is Wise bonded terminal facility as at Thursday.
Again, of mention is the fact that the journalists were taken to see the new bonded terminal under the supervision of the Command. The Only God is Wise bonded terminal as disclosed by its facility manager, Adetoun Abidemi started operation in 2019, but that this particular terminal was conceived for the Command for the purpose of improving trade facilitation.
Adetoun noted that the terminal handles general services and that examination of cargoes is presently done at 100%. He disclosed that the terminal is operating at very low capacity as a result of low patronage. He opined that the Seme Command of the Service is operating by the laid down procedures and that they are following the Command’s footsteps. He urged all importers and exporters to use the bonded terminal facility while processing their cargoes.
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