The Nigerian Navy has intensified efforts to combat smuggling in Badagry, Lagos State, successfully intercepting 16 boats loaded with 1,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice.
Officers from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry operated on Saturday to dismantle an organised attempt to bring contraband into Nigeria.
Reports from the Yafin community indicated that the smugglers arrived at 7:30 a.m., unloading rice onto waiting vehicles.
However, before the transfer could be completed, naval forces swooped in, prompting some individuals to dive into the water to escape, while others fled into hiding.
The drivers of the vehicles also attempted to flee but were unable to evade the operation. The Navy successfully seized the goods and transported them back to their base without encountering resistance.
This interception is part of the government’s broader efforts to tackle illicit trade in Badagry, a key border town close to the Benin Republic.
With Nigeria’s ban on imported rice, smuggling has surged, and Badagry has become a hotspot for the illegal trade.
The recent operation is a significant step towards enforcing trade restrictions and protecting Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
In addition to the rice seizure, the Navy recently confiscated 3,375 litres of petrol on February 1, found at a fuel station in Ajara, Badagry, where it was illegally siphoned for export. Smugglers abandoned the fuel upon seeing the Navy’s presence.
Further highlighting the Navy’s vigilance, a separate operation on February 5 intercepted a speedboat carrying nine suspected human trafficking victims along the Badagry-Porto-Novo Creek. The operation is still under investigation.
Capt. Leye Omotayo, who commands FOB Badagry, has bolstered security patrols, introduced 24-hour surveillance, and increased cooperation with other security agencies to combat smuggling and human trafficking. These measures have contributed to a series of successful operations, but authorities remain alert to ongoing smuggling activities.
