Navy hands over 58 bags of seized smuggled rice to Customs WMC

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has handed over 58 bags of seized foreign parboiled rice to the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.

At a brief hand over ceremony held at the base on Thursday, the Commander NNS BEECROFT, Rear Admiral Paul Ponfa Nimmyel, said the contraband was intercepted on 31 August 2025 by the NNS BEECROFT Patrol Team stationed at Liverpool Apapa.

He said the team while acting on credible intelligence intercepted 2 wooden boats laden with a total of 58 bags of suspected smuggled foreign parboiled rice. The suspects, he said, however, abandoned the boats on sighting the patrol team.

Represented by the Executive Officer, Captain Idongesit Udoessien, Rear Admiral Nimmyel noted that the interception is part of the concerted efforts by the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral ldi Abbas, to curtail all forms of illegal activities — particularly the smuggling of contraband and other maritime crimes within Nigeria’s coastal waters.

He reiterated that the Nigerian Navy is committed to working with other security agencies to protect Nigerian’s maritime domain for socio-economic activities to thrive.

Nimmyel commended the vigilance and professionalism of NNS BEECROFT personnel and urged the public to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence to enhance security and safety across the Lagos state.

The contraband was there after handed over to the Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Kehinde Alade Saliman of Western Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa, for necessary action.