Customs Restrict Landing of Imported Pharmaceuticals To 4 Ports

…Seize 25 Containers of Unregistered Products Worth N9.2Billion At Apapa

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Following alleged wave of abuses and unspeakable violation of the customs extant laws some of which bothers on national insecurity, the Nigeria Customs Service has imposed a restriction on the landing of imported pharmaceuticals to only four customs ports in the country, namely  Apapa, Onne, Murtala International Airport Lagos, and Ports and Terminal Multi-services Ltd (PTML).

The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi who made the pronouncement Friday, 11th July, 2025 at the Apapa Area Command of the Service while briefing newsmen on the interception of 25 containers of offensive items including unregistered pharmaceutical products, accused unscrupulous importers, clearing agents, freight forwarders and licensed bonded terminals of perpetrating unacceptable practices that are injurious to the economy, security and safety of citizens.

The CGC said the Service can no longer watch while some undesirable elements put the nation through dangerous and difficult times just to satisfy their morbid greed for money by not only short changing the system but through evil acts aimed at worsening the national security situation, in addition to trading in unapproved goods, trafficking in killer drugs and illicit substances, amongst other criminal acts.

To further forestall the state of worsening trade violations and effectively rein in offenders, curb various forms of criminal acts, economic, security and otherwise, the customs boss said henceforth, a review of  bonded terminal licensing fees will be carried out.

He said this is more so, since the prevailing fees do not reflect the country’s current economic realities, adding that the license fees that are operational now have been in place for over a decade and are no longer in tune with current realities.

Speaking further on the state of operational defiance within the bonded terminal, Adeniyi said that about N1.5billion has been recovered from one of the bonded terminals, while a further recovery effort of another N1.6bn is ongoing.

This is even as the CGC informed Pinnacle Time that the 25 seized containers intercepted by operatives of the Apapa Area Command is worth N9,235,402,973.00; and assured that with the robust collaboration between it and critical sister government agencies; there will be no retreat and no surrender in the fight against drug trafficking and other forms of economic criminalities.

While announcing the handover of the seized containers of unregistered and questionable pharmaceuticals to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Adeniyi said a more elaborate administrative checks will be carried out between his officials at the Apapa Command and that of NAFDAC, at a later time to ensure that nothing is left to chance in the documentation of numbers.

“Today, we formally hand over to NAFDAC a total of 25 containers laden with counterfeit medications, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and prohibited substances including codeine-based preparations that pose imminent danger to public health.These seizures, with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of Nine Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, Four Hundred and Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Three Naira (N9,235,402,973.00), represent a sophisticated network of criminal enterprises that deliberately exploit regulatory gaps to compromise our national health security.

“A detailed breakdown of the seizures reveals disturbing patterns of misdeclaration and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. The 25 containers comprise 21 forty-foot containers and 4 twenty-foot containers containing predominantly unregistered pharmaceutical products including sexual enhancement drugs such as REDSUN and HYEGRA sildenafil citrate products, codeine-containing cough syrups including CSC brands, antibiotic injections like oxytetracycline and artesunate, pain relief medications containing diclofenac sodium and paracetamol, skin lightening creams marketed as GBOGBONISE and SKIN CHEMIST, hip and breast enlargement products, and various tablets bearing fake NAFDAC registration numbers.

“The seizures also include expired food products such as margarine and chocolate, veterinary medications including albendazole bolus tablets antimalarial drugs like artepharm-artequick, and consumer goods such as crusader soap, reflecting a sophisticated and diversified contraband portfolio that poses significant threats to public health, consumer safety, and regulatory integrity.

“This ceremonial handover is another tangible result of our combined commitment between the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control following our strategic Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2024 and the recent inauguration of its Implementation Committee, which has already begun to yield remarkable dividends in our enforcement efforts against unwholesome food and pharmaceutical products.

“The MOU framework enables Customs and NAFDAC to conduct coordinated operations and joint investigations, systematically tracing illicit pharmaceutical sources and deploying targeted enforcement strategies against criminal networks. Inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing have been central to our enforcement philosophy, and under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, this enhanced cooperation has delivered measurable results in protecting public health and combating illicit trade.”

Continuing, he said: “As a Service, we remain committed to making our seaports, airports, and land borders impenetrable barriers against smuggling operations through our unrelenting nationwide anti-contraband initiatives. Our intelligence-led enforcement strategy, enhanced by real-time collaboration with regulatory agencies, has fundamentally transformed our operational capabilities.

“The operational synergy we have developed with NAFDAC reflects strategic collaboration at its finest, with the Director General providing critical intelligence even at midnight about suspicious importations that proves decisive to our anti-smuggling operations. This MOU-facilitated coordination enables swift responses to emerging threats, and I commend the Director-General and her dedicated team whose technical expertise, combined with our enforcement capabilities, has created a formidable barrier against criminal networks seeking to compromise our borders.”

The customs boss also disclosed that its collaboration with sister government agencies under the supervision of the National Security Adviser (NSA), couldn’t be any better as they enjoy a fellowship of camaraderie.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with NAFDAC and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, remains uncompromisingly committed to the battle against merchants of death who pursue illicit profits from businesses that destroy lives and communities. Under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser, Our joint operations have resulted in the seizure of over 200 containers followed by coordinated destruction exercises, with unregistered pharmaceutical products comprising 63.7% of seizure values, highlighting the scale of threats that could have inflicted devastating damage on human lives and our social ecosystem if permitted to infiltrate our markets.”

Warning importers and their agents, haulage operators and bonded terminal owners alike, Adeniyi said henceforth, the full wrath of the law will be applied in a merciless manner.

“Let me once again read the Riot Act to all stakeholders within the international trade environment: the Nigeria Customs Service, in strategic partnership with sister government agencies, will maintain an uncompromising stance on regulatory compliance. We shall deploy our full statutory powers of seizure, arrest, investigation, and prosecution of suspects without hesitation or compromise.

“Our intelligence network and technological capabilities have been significantly enhanced to detect and intercept prohibited items regardless of concealment methods or documentation subterfuge”, he added.

The Port Director of NAFDAC, Mr Abayomi Ibrahim was on ground to receive the 21 containers of unregistered pharmaceutical products said to include hip and breast enlargement products among others.

The CGC commended the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD, and his men for the job well done.