NNS BEECROFT Hands Over 58 Bags of Smuggled Foreign Rice to Nigeria Customs

NNS BEECROFT Hands Over 58 Bags of Smuggled Foreign Rice to Nigeria Customs

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.

The handover ceremony took place on Thursday, 18 December 2025, at Apapa, Lagos.

The contraband was intercepted on 31 August 2025 by a patrol team of NNS BEECROFT stationed at Liverpool, Apapa. Acting on credible intelligence, the naval team intercepted two wooden boats conveying a total of 58 bags of suspected smuggled foreign parboiled rice. The suspected smugglers reportedly abandoned the boats and fled upon sighting the naval patrol.

Speaking during the handover, the Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Rear Admiral Paul Ponfa Nimmyel, who was represented by the Executive Officer, Captain Idongesit Udoessien, said the interception was part of sustained efforts by the Nigerian Navy to curb illegal activities within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He noted that the operation aligns with the strategic directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), aimed at combating smuggling, economic sabotage and other maritime crimes in the nation’s coastal waters.

Captain Udoessien reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to inter-agency collaboration, stressing that synergy with other security agencies remains critical to ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment for socio-economic activities to flourish.

He commended the vigilance and professionalism of the NNS BEECROFT personnel involved in the operation and called on members of the public to continue to support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence to enhance safety and security, particularly in Lagos State.

The seized items were formally handed over to the Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Kehinde Alade Saliman, of the Western Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa, for further investigation and necessary action.