Navy Sustains Anti-Smuggling Pressure, Confiscated Rice Handed Over to Authorities
… 419 Bags of Foreign Rice Seized on Badagry Waterways Handed Over to Customs
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry has handed over 419 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command.
The seizure followed a series of intelligence-led patrols and surveillance missions conducted by the Navy’s Quick Response Teams along the Badagry-Porto Novo Creek and adjoining waterways – routes long exploited by smugglers attempting to bypass official trade controls.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony, the Commanding Officer of FOB Badagry, Navy Captain B. O. Omotayo, represented by the Base Administrative Officer, Lieutenant Commander S. O. Talabi, reaffirmed the Navy’s unflinching commitment to maritime security and the protection of Nigeria’s economic interests.
“Our actions are in strict alignment with the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Strategic Directive 06–2023, which emphasises the need for a secured maritime environment as a foundation for national development,” Captain Omotayo stated.
He praised the professionalism and resilience of naval personnel deployed in the operation, highlighting their relentless efforts in intercepting illicit cargoes and curbing smuggling activities within Nigeria’s coastal corridors.
“The Nigerian Navy, particularly FOB Badagry, will continue to conduct intelligence-led operations and strengthen collaboration with sister agencies and local communities to ensure sustained pressure on those who seek to undermine Nigeria’s economic stability,” he assured.
Captain Omotayo further warned individuals and syndicates involved in cross-border smuggling to desist from such unlawful ventures, reiterating that the Navy remains resolute in defending Nigeria’s maritime domain and safeguarding the nation’s economic lifelines.
The 419 bags of rice, which were seized during multiple patrols, were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Customs Service in line with the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure (HSOP) guiding inter-agency collaboration. The procedure ensures that contraband seized during maritime operations is duly processed and accounted for by the relevant enforcement agency.
The Customs Area Controller, Seme Command (represented at the event), commended the Navy for its continued vigilance and synergy in combating smuggling, noting that such partnerships strengthen border management and national security.
The operation reflects the Navy’s intensified focus on joint enforcement efforts aimed at dismantling smuggling networks operating within the nation’s waterways.
The strategic cooperation between the Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Customs Service remains a key component of the federal government’s broader security and economic reform agenda – targeted at protecting local industries, preserving revenue, and promoting lawful trade across Nigeria’s borders.
As part of ongoing operations, the Nigerian Navy has reiterated its resolve to maintain constant patrols along the Badagry axis and other identified smuggling routes, ensuring that criminal elements are denied safe havens and that Nigeria’s maritime domain remains secure.
