Customs Intercepts 1,966 Kegs of Smuggled Vegetable Oil, Other Contraband Worth N273.7m
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted prohibited imported goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N273.7 million in Cross River State, as part of efforts to protect local manufacturers, preserve jobs, and support the Federal Government’s industrialisation agenda.
The Customs Area Controller, Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command, Comptroller Giwa Dauda, disclosed this during a press briefing in Calabar on Wednesday.
Dauda said the seizures were made through intelligence-driven operations and routine patrols aimed at curbing smuggling activities and preventing the influx of prohibited foreign goods into the Nigerian market.
According to him, Customs operatives intercepted two 20-foot containers loaded with 1,996 kegs of foreign refined vegetable oil along the Odukpani–Calabar Highway on June 14, 2026. The products, concealed in a truck, were seized during a routine patrol operation.
He stated that the vegetable oil consignment alone had a Duty Paid Value of N195.5 million.
The Comptroller explained that refined vegetable oil remains one of the products in which Nigerian manufacturers have made substantial investments, noting that the illegal importation of such products poses a significant threat to domestic industries.
He said the unrestricted entry of prohibited foreign vegetable oil into the country would undermine local production, discourage investment, and jeopardise thousands of jobs across Nigeria’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
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“These products are listed under the Federal Government’s import prohibition policy, which is designed to stimulate local production, promote self-sufficiency, and strengthen the nation’s industrial base,” Dauda said.
In addition to the vegetable oil seizure, the Command also intercepted 1,500 used tyres and 105 jumbo bales of second-hand clothing, both of which are prohibited items under existing import regulations.
The Customs boss disclosed that the combined Duty Paid Value of all the seized goods stood at N273.7 million.
He further revealed that the Command intercepted 800 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), bringing the total volume of petrol seized within its area of responsibility in 2026 to 5,760 litres.
According to him, the seized fuel was disposed of in line with approved safety procedures due to its highly flammable nature.
Dauda reiterated the Service’s commitment to combating smuggling and other forms of economic sabotage, warning individuals involved in illegal importation to desist or face the full weight of the law.
He stressed that smuggling not only deprives the government of legitimate revenue but also weakens local industries, distorts fair market competition, and undermines ongoing efforts to diversify the economy through industrial growth and increased local production.
The Customs Area Controller assured stakeholders that the Command would continue to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, and enforcement operations to safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests and support the growth of indigenous industries.
By PRNigeria
