Nigerian Navy Hands Over 125 Bags of Smuggled Rice to Customs in Lagos
Oru Leonard
The Nigerian Navy has handed over 125 bags of seized foreign parboiled rice to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) following a successful anti-smuggling operation carried out by personnel of Naval Base EPE in Lagos State.
Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, led by Superintendent of Customs Chinedu Eboh, received the seized items during a formal handover ceremony held at Naval Base EPE on May 5, 2026.
According to the Nigerian Navy, the seizure was made following credible intelligence received on April 29, 2026, at about 3:00 a.m. Naval personnel intercepted a Peugeot J5 van with registration number EKY-168YC loaded with 125 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice suspected to have been smuggled into Lagos through illegal border routes.
The Navy stated that the seized items were transferred to the Nigeria Customs Service in line with existing regulations and inter-agency cooperation procedures for further investigation and necessary action.
The handover was conducted on behalf of the Commander, Naval Base EPE, Levi Deyin, and represented by the Acting Executive Officer, Elvis Egbe.
The Nigerian Navy said the operation highlights its continued commitment to supporting national efforts against smuggling, protecting the country’s economy, and strengthening internal security through effective collaboration with relevant agencies.
It further reaffirmed its resolve to sustain operations aimed at curbing illegal activities within Nigeria’s maritime and littoral environment.
