The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with 4,410 pieces of export-bound dry donkey skin in Lagos, with a street value of N4.236 billion. Comptroller Kola Oladeji, who disclosed this on Tuesday at the Customs Warehouse in Ikeja, Lagos, stated that the seizure was part of enforcement operations carried out between December 25, 2024, and February 4, 2025. He further revealed that six suspects had been arrested in connection with the illegal shipment.
In addition to the donkey skins, the NCS also seized 21 units of exotic cars valued at N561.3 million from suspected smugglers in the South-West region. Other confiscated contraband includes:
- 3,031 bags of rice valued at N398 million
- 2,725 parcels of cannabis sativa worth N218 million
- 397 kegs of petrol valued at N1.6 million
- 118 cartons of frozen poultry products worth N2.8 million
- 105 bales of second-hand clothing valued at N12.6 million
Oladeji stated that the intercepted 1,378kg of cannabis sativa would be handed over to the appropriate agency for further investigation. He recalled that the federal government had banned the importation of foreign parboiled rice through land borders since 2016, allowing entry only through seaports with proper tax payments. However, some individuals continue to violate this policy, affecting the national economy and distorting trade data.
On revenue generation, the FOU Zone A recovered N60.902 million through documentation checks and profiling of suspected irregular imports within the same period. The Comptroller reaffirmed the Customs Service’s commitment to combating smuggling and illegal cross-border trade in 2025. He warned economic saboteurs to abandon illicit activities as the ongoing Swift Sting Operation would spare no offenders. He also encouraged legitimate traders and businesses to engage with the Customs Service for support under the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.
