The Nigerian Navy has successfully intercepted a significant quantity of contraband, including 13,800 litres of petrol and 71 bags of foreign rice, in several operations along the Badagry creeks in Lagos.
The seizures were made between March 7 and 14, with the operations conducted by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry.
Navy Captain Oyeleye Omotayo, the commanding officer of FOB Badagry, confirmed that the interception was the result of intelligence gathered on suspected smugglers operating in the area.
On March 14, naval operatives launched a targeted operation at 2:54 a.m., which led to the confiscation of the goods.
The smugglers initially managed to evade the Navy’s water patrol, but the land patrol unit successfully intercepted them at around 3:30 a.m. The operation led to the discovery of 71 bags of foreign rice, which were seized, although the suspects fled the scene.
Omotayo also revealed that the Navy acted on a tip-off received at 12:15 a.m. on March 14 regarding a beach storage site near Bollington in the Badagry Creeks, where petrol was being stored for illegal export. Upon reaching the location, four vehicles intended for smuggling were found, but the suspects escaped, leaving the vehicles behind.
A search of the area uncovered 234 jerry cans, each containing 25 litres of petrol, totalling 5,850 litres. Further operations in other parts of Badagry led to the seizure of an additional 7,770 litres of petrol. Among these, 6,770 litres were confiscated from a filling station on March 7, along with 188 empty jerry cans.
The Navy’s efforts also targeted smuggling operations at Tongeji Island, where 1,000 litres of petrol were seized from the Farasime community on March 8. All seized items were processed under the law to prevent them from re-entering circulation.
Omotayo assured the public that the Navy is stepping up efforts to combat smuggling and criminal activities in the Badagry-Porto Novo creeks.
He also warned individuals involved in illegal activities to cease or face legal consequences, stressing that the Navy remains committed to enforcing federal directives and combating illicit operations in the region.
