Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘B’ in Kaduna, have intercepted 250 bags of smuggled foreign rice concealed inside a fuel tanker.
The operation, which took place on Saturday, August 3, 2025, followed credible intelligence received by Customs operatives along the Yauri-Kontagora road in Kebbi State.
The suspicious DAF tanker was stopped and escorted to the Unit’s headquarters in Kaduna for inspection.
According to a statement issued by the Unit’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Saidu Nuruddeen, the rice still under import restriction was cleverly hidden in the tanker, which is typically used for transporting petroleum products.
The Acting Comptroller of the Unit, AM Alkali, confirmed that the duty paid value of the seized rice is ₦20.51 million.
“Our officers acted on actionable intelligence, intercepted the truck, and discovered 250 bags of foreign parboiled rice concealed inside,” Alkali stated. “This is a clear attempt to outsmart law enforcement, but our operatives acted swiftly and professionally.”
Zone ‘B’ is one of the largest Customs enforcement zones in Nigeria, covering 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, and Kogi.
Alkali praised the operatives for their vigilance and noted that the interception reflects the success of the Unit’s intelligence-driven approach to border enforcement.
In a related operation, the Unit also handed over large volumes of unregistered pharmaceutical products and hazardous chemicals to relevant regulatory bodies.
On July 17, 2025, officials turned over 58,740 sachets of unapproved medicaments and 27 cartons of banned Analgin injections to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Additionally, three sacks containing 990 pieces of Riodin chemical were handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), due to their potential environmental and health risks.
During the briefing, Alkali also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for extending the tenure of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
He described the extension as a recognition of Adeniyi’s reform-focused leadership and efforts to modernize the Customs Service.
“He is a visionary leader who has brought innovation and professionalism to the Service. This extension is a strong vote of confidence in his leadership,” Alkali said.
