The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, announced the interception of 400 bags of beans valued at N61.4 million.
Timi Bomodi, the Custom Area Controller overseeing the Command, revealed this in a statement, explaining that the bags of beans were discovered stockpiled in a warehouse located along one of the exit corridors at the border.
“In light of our current economic challenges, characterized by widespread food shortages across the nation, and in adherence to the directive to prevent illegal grain exports, the Command seized a truckload of beans totaling 400 bags, with a duty paid value of N61.4 million, found stored in a warehouse along one of the border’s exit routes,” Bomodi stated.
The items have been securely deposited in a government warehouse for safekeeping and eventual sale to the public, as per the statement.
The Command was assigned a target of N7.87 billion for the year 2024, marking a significant increase of over 400 percent compared to the target set for 2023.
“In January 2024, the command collected N643 million, while in February, N518 million was collected, totaling N1.160 billion, which represents about 88 percent of the total expected revenue of the Command,” the statement noted.
Additionally, between January and February 2024, the Command successfully conducted 168 interceptions, resulting in the seizure of various contraband items.
These included 2,193 bags of rove (equivalent to three trailers), 81,930 liters of petroleum motor spirit (equivalent to three tankers), nine vehicles, 1,425 units of general merchandise, 265 parcels of cannabis sativa and other narcotics, 149 packs of codeine, and 2 locally manufactured guns.
