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By Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, Owerri, on Monday said that it intercepted over 3,310 jerrycans, cartons of smuggled vegetable oil worth N403.491 million during its anti-smuggling operations.
The Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone C — Owerri, Comptroller Bishir Balogun, said the interception of a large consignment of foreign-smuggled vegetable oil is the result of strategic intelligence coordination and coordinated operational activity by officers of the Unit.
“Seized items are as follows: 3,310 jerrycans (kegs) of 25-litre “Super Delicious” vegetable oil, 10 jerrycans (kegs) of 10-litre “Super Delicious” vegetable oil,20 cartons of 5-litre sunflower vegetable oil, 20 cartons of 3-litre sunflower vegetable oil.
“Our operatives intercepted two (2) trucks carrying the consignment at about 2200hrs of May 9, 2026 along the 9th miles in Enugu and another one along Onisha Agbor highway on the June 7, 2026 following credible intelligence. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items is N403.491 million only,” he said.
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According to him, this seizure represents a major blow to economic saboteurs whose illegal importation of foreign vegetable oil undermines local industry, technology transfer, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.
“Let me emphasise that the operation demonstrates the Service’s firm commitment to enforcing the NCS Act 2022 (as amended) and the Federal Government’s fiscal and protective measures that prohibit the importation of foreign vegetable oil.
“I urged those engaged in smuggling and related criminal networks to cease their activities and warned that the Nigeria Customs Service will continue to deploy intelligence-led strategies to protect public health, national security, and the domestic economy,” he explained.
He said that the confiscated jerrycans and cartons remain in custody as investigations continue and appropriate legal processes commence.
