By Godwin Oritse

The Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a significant increase in revenue generation and anti-smuggling activities barely two months after Comptroller Abdulalhi Kaila assumed office as Customs Area Controller.

The command generated ₦9.79 billion between March 18 and May 2026, representing a 448 per cent increase when compared to the ₦2.19 billion collected during the corresponding period in 2025.

The revenue growth translates to an additional ₦7.61 billion within the review period.
Speaking during his maiden press Comptroller Kaila also disclosed that the command intercepted contraband goods with a Duty Paid Value exceeding ₦500 million, underscoring intensified enforcement operations and a renewed crackdown on smuggling activities along the nation’s busiest land border.

“This remarkable achievement is attributable to transit compliance mechanisms, improved stakeholder cooperation, intensified anti-revenue leakage measures, and the strategic deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System,” Kaila said.

He credited the leap to “renewed dedication, professionalism and vigilance” by officers, and vowed to sustain the gains through intelligence-driven monitoring and transparent trade procedures that don’t stifle legitimate trade.

The command’s anti-smuggling push in the last two months yielded major hits along the Seme-Badagry corridor.

Some of the seized items are 800 parcels of suspected cannabis sativa which has been handed over to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Unregistered pharmaceuticals some of which include codeine-based syrups and sexual enhancement drugs lacking NAFDAC certification.

Other seized Items include 55 bottles of Ultimate Plus Maker Syrup, 88 packs of 99 Bullets herbal medicine, 10 cartons of Ultimate Plus Maker Sedal, and 100 packs each of Tramartine and Campendol which will be handed over to the NAFDAC, 2,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice of (50kg each), 340 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 103 jerrycans of premium bottle spray, 993 cartons of foreign spaghetti, and 250 bags of used clothing.
While the Duty Paid Value of all seizures stands at ₦500million Kaila said the seizures “underscore the command’s zero-tolerance stance against smuggling” and its resolve to protect local industry, public health, and national security.

Despite the crackdown, Kaila stressed that Seme remains critical to ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme and AfCFTA. The command has intensified engagement with agents, freight forwarders, transport unions, and traditional institutions to cut bottlenecks and simplify clearance.

“Our officers continue to provide guidance and support to SMEs seeking access to regional and international markets, particularly in export documentation and regulatory compliance,” he said.

He reiterated the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi’s line: compliance is the safest, fastest, and cheapest route for trade. Non-compliance, he warned, will attract interventions, demand notices, seizures, and arrests.

Kaila also warned non-compliant traders saying that “We have significantly strengthened our intelligence network, enhanced surveillance capacity across land and maritime routes, and intensified collaboration with sister agencies.”

He commended his officers for “resilience, professionalism, discipline and unwavering commitment,” and thanked stakeholders and host communities for their cooperation.