The Nigeria Customs Service has announced the seizure of contraband goods, including a massive haul of cannabis and rice, with a total value of N3.3 billion in Lagos.
Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, the Area Controller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, disclosed this at a press briefing on Tuesday. The operation led to the arrest of eight suspects, including a woman linked to the drug seizure.
The items intercepted include 6,954 bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 12 trailer loads), 1,431 kilograms of synthetic cannabis, 77 bags of sugar, 21 used vehicles, and over 3,300 jerrycans of vegetable oil.
“These seizures occurred against the backdrop of rising banditry, terrorism and other societal vices threatening national stability. Drug trafficking fuels these crimes,” Comptroller Aliyu stated.
He attributed the success to an intelligence-led operational overhaul, which shifted from predictable checkpoints to targeted deployments. The command also reported the tragic loss of an officer during one of the interception operations on February 3.
In a significant environmental interception, officers rescued four live pangolins and seized 581 used refrigerator compressors, which pose public health risks. The seized cannabis was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.
Deputy Commander Ibrahim Muhammadu-Kabir of the NDLEA, who received the drugs, expressed disappointment at the involvement of a female suspect. He urged the public to support the government’s fight against illicit substances.
Beyond seizures, the unit recovered N36.89 million through demand notices for import-export compliance breaches between December 2025 and February 2026.
