Customs Foils Smuggling of Explosives, Cannabis Worth N582m on Lagos Waters

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Western Marine Command, has dealt a major blow to smugglers with the interception of explosives-making materials, cannabis, rice, fuel, and boats collectively valued at over ?582.2 million.

The landmark operation was announced by the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Patrick Ntadi, at a media briefing held on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at the command headquarters in Lagos.

According to Ntadi, officers of the command intercepted 86 sacks of stolen ammonium sulphate and polypropylene worth ?4.5 million. The materials, believed to be stolen in transit to a fertilizer plant, were seized on the waterways.

Other items confiscated included:

• 1,312 loaves of foreign Cannabis Sativa valued at ?232.8 million
• 1,827 bags of foreign parboiled rice worth ?204.6 million
• 174 sacks of ammonium sulphate valued at ?15.6 million
• 42 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth ?1.94 million
• 14 boat engines worth ?73.3 million
• 11 fibre boats valued at ?46.2 million
• Three wooden boats worth ?3.15 million

Ntadi stressed that the seizures underscore the renewed determination of the command to secure Nigeria’s waterways against smugglers, traffickers, and saboteurs.

“Since I assumed duty two months ago, we have upgraded infrastructure, strengthened security architecture, improved staff welfare, and intensified patrol operations. These initiatives align with the mandate of the NCS under the leadership of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi. The Command is now better equipped to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime borders and combat illicit trade,” he said.

The CAC expressed appreciation to the CGC, the NCS management team, officers, and partner security agencies for their unwavering support in boosting the command’s performance.

In a symbolic gesture of inter-agency cooperation, the seized narcotics were formally handed over to Assistant Commander General Obadiah Buba Wakawa of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during the briefing.

The event also witnessed the decoration of 36 newly promoted officers, with Ntadi urging them to uphold professionalism, discipline, and integrity in their new ranks.

With this latest operation, the Western Marine Command has once again reinforced its reputation as a frontline defender of Nigeria’s maritime borders, sending a clear signal to smugglers that the waterways are no longer safe havens for criminal trade.