By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized tramadol, expired and unregistered pharmaceutical products worth N1.8 billion at Apapa Port.
Showcasing the items during a press briefing on Thursday, the Comptroller General of the NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, highlighted the Service’s resolve to prevent any importation that could be detrimental to the health and well-being of Nigerians.
Adeniyi stressed that while the Service’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade remains unwavering, it is equally dedicated to ensuring that any import consignment or export cargo transiting through the country’s ports under customs control is thoroughly checked using non-intrusive (scanning) measures and physical examinations where necessary.
The Customs boss, while presenting the seizures made by officers of the Service at the Apapa Port Command, which comprise expired and controlled pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of 1.8 billion naira, disclosed that aside from being expired, some of the seized drugs were imported without undergoing the necessary regulatory requirements, such as obtaining a National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) number.
“We also have containers that were seized due to false declarations, ostensibly to evade duty payments, which amounts to smuggling”, he explained.
The CGC noted that in total, 12 containers were seized and in flagrant violation of Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023.
In addition to the pharmaceutical products, there were two 40ft containers with 15,540 and 12,000 pieces of cutlasses and machetes. A total of 27,540 pieces of cutlasses and machetes were contained in the two containers.
CGC Adeniyi advised port users to remain very compliant and vowed to run importers of illicit items out of business.
“Port containers are on parade today, the owners of these truck containers, we are going to run them out of business and we are going to use them as deterrent to others who still believe they can doubt our resilience and our commitment to rid Nigeria of dangerous products and prohibited items”, he stated.
He commended the response of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu and all his officers and men for responding adequately to the challenge which he has thrown to them.
“They have shown commitment, passion and they have shown that they can indeed be counted when we are talking about Nigerians who are patriotic”, he said.
