Nigeria Customs Service Targets Prohibited Imports in Cross River State
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has successfully seized imports valued at N273.7 million, including vegetable oil, used tires, second-hand clothing, and petroleum products, in a strategic initiative to combat smuggling and illegal trade in Cross River State.
Regional Command Intensifies Surveillance Efforts
The operations, conducted by the Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Regional Command, focused on major smuggling routes, with customs officers ramping up surveillance and patrols to intercept restricted goods entering the domestic market.
Protecting Local Industries Through Enforcement
At a press conference in Calabar, Customs Commissioner Giwa Dauda articulated that the crackdown is designed to safeguard local industries, protect jobs, and enforce Nigeria’s anti-import policies. By targeting illegal imports, the NCS aims to enhance the country’s economic resilience.
Significant Seizure of Vegetable Oil During Routine Patrol
Among the most notable confiscations was two 20-foot containers containing 1,996 barrels of foreign-refined vegetable oil, intercepted along the Odukpani-Calabar Expressway during a routine patrol on June 14, 2026. The assessed customs duty for this cargo was approximately NOK 195.5 million.
Impact on Domestic Production and Employment
Dauda emphasized the importance of this seizure, particularly given the substantial investments made by Nigerian manufacturers in the vegetable oil sector. He cautioned that unchecked foreign imports could stifle domestic production and adversely affect industrial growth.
Comprehensive Seizures and Their Implications
The command also reported the confiscation of 1,500 used tires and 105 jumbo bales of used clothing, contributing to the total duty payable on all seized goods, amounting to N273.7 million. Furthermore, the NCS intercepted 800 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), elevating the total gasoline seizures for 2026 to 5,760 liters.
Safety Protocols for Flammable Products
In discussing the disposal of the intercepted petroleum products, Dauda stated that the highly flammable substance has been managed according to approved safety procedures. He reiterated the need for strict adherence to guidelines to ensure public safety.
A Call to Action Against Smuggling
Dauda urged smugglers and economic saboteurs to cease their illegal imports, highlighting that such actions undermine market competition, weaken local industries, and disrupt the government’s efforts to diversify the economy through industrialization. The NCS remains committed to enhancing its enforcement operations across identified smuggling routes in Cross River State and surrounding areas to further curb illicit trade.
