Harvest of Seizures with Apapa Customs’ ‘Bird’s Eye View’ on Anti-Smuggling … As Comptroller Olomu Showcases N3.2Bn Unregistered Pharmaceuticals Seizure, Promises more revenue surprises with N1,094T so far recorded

Harvest of Seizures with Apapa Customs’ ‘Bird’s Eye View’ on Anti-Smuggling

… As Comptroller Olomu Showcases N3.2Bn Unregistered Pharmaceuticals Seizure, Promises more revenue surprises with N1,094T so far recorded

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD, CAC, Apapa Command, NCS, addressing the media on the seizures 

_ “While we facilitate trade, collect revenue for government, the NCS owe the Nigerian people the duty of protecting them from dangerous imports that are injurious to their health and wellbeing. As   officers at the nation’s largest, busiest and premier port, we are determined to avoid making Nigerians vulnerable to the selfish interests of merchant of death whose stock in trade is to bring in harmful substances” – Comptroller Olomu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Premier Area Command has once again demonstrated her unwavering and total stance against unwholesome activities of fraudulent importers and traders with persistent display of superior physical and mental upbeat capacity to nip them in the bud.

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu Phd, CAC, Apapa Command, NCS

Under the conspicuous watch of Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, PhD, fsi, as Customs Area Controller (CAC), the Apapa Command of the service has consistently become a cynosure of all eyes in leading the pack in the customs mandated task of groundbreaking revenue collection, with their so far unprecedented anti-smuggling record, as his leadership continued to adopt pragmatic measures to achieve these humongous feats.

Yesterday’s massive seizure display of yet another set of offensive illegal import of unregistered pharmaceuticals, medicaments, as well as hard drugs in six (6) containers worth over N2.3billiion, intercepted by Officials of the Apapa Command of the Service through robust collaboration with other agencies and wittingly showcased by the CAC, has yet again aroused concerns over the undying spirit of unscrupulous elements and their indulging antics to remain illegally afloat to the detriment of the well-being of the Nigerian citizenry.

This seizure is however coming after the recent 12 container seizures of variety contraband items including such fake and unregistered pharmaceuticals made by the Olomu led Apapa Command, that were showcased by the Comptroller General of Customs about two weeks ago.

ACGN Buba O. Wakawa, Strategic Commander, Apapa Strategic Command, NDLEA giving his address

The recent press briefing which was held at the command’s enforcement unit inside the Apapa port, on May 21, 2025, came with its uniqueness as it had about all other collaborative security agencies in attendance, who all took turn to speak in unison against activities of economic saboteurs, and their collective bargaining to run them out of business. They as well applauded efforts of the command’s present leadership in championing a robust result-oriented partnership.

NAFDAC Official giving his address at the briefing

The atmospheric nexus among of the agencies with customs at the briefing exercise speaks much volumes, as it unfolds high level of collaborative efforts to the onerous task in the battle against criminality, deliberately indulged on by importers and traders against the Nigerian Polity, as if saying ‘enough is enough’.

Commissioner of Police, Marine addressing the guests at the event

Also, the remarkable seizure also showcased the commanding leadership prowess exhibited by the CAC having surrounded himself with officers of impeccable character as heads of unit, while applauding their unquestionable uncompromising stance, with the highly efficient duty call enforcement unit led by Deputy Comptroller BY Muhammed, as a case in point.

Officers of the command have with the needed push continued to serve the command with all determination and collective resolve to achieve huge successes presently being witnessed on a regular basis.

The CAC during his press briefing address said the recent seizures which are fallouts of uncompromising anti-smuggling activities of the command, further noted that, on his watch and with the inspiring guidance of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who was in the command about two weeks ago to showcase 12 containers of seized pharmaceuticals., the command is not sacrificing compliance on the altar of trade facilitation.

Consequently, he however disclosed that, as a result of painstaking efforts, the command recently uncovered six (6) more containers laden with prohibited items most of which are unregistered pharmaceuticals.

Comptroller Olomu

Olomu further revealed that, other items contained in the seized containers are cosmetics, used clothing and two vehicles illegally imported into the country.

The worth of the seizures are put at a total of Three billion, Two Hundred and  Forty-Seven  Million, Four  Hundred  and  Twenty-Seven Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixty-Nine Naira (N3,247,427,969.00) only in Duty Paid Value (DPV).

The CAC however spitted the seizures into three categories, which include Container No. SUDU 8685733 (40FT) which was found to contain 1,698 of  RTPL CSC Cough syrup with codeine  concealed in 202 packages of water closet; as well as Container No.MRSU 4846204 (40FT) was found to contain 1,690 cartons of codeine syrup concealed in toilet seat.

These two seizures according to him have a street value of N2,710,400,000.00 (Two Billion, Seven hundred and Ten Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira Only).

“Interestingly, these two  containers were   intercepted as  a result of international collaboration as well as local networking with officers and men of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)”, Olomu said.

The Category  2 seizure have Container No. ONEU 1153150 (40FT) found to contain 1,584 packages of Globatin  anti-marks & 30g Clobetasol   cream falsely declared as Truck Tyres, and also Container No. MRSU 3258823 (40FT) which was found to contain Rabeprazole, for injection, 25mg Zahifranil tablets, 1000mg vancomycine hydrochloride, ciprophetadine with vitamin B complex, and other pharmaceutical  products  without NAFDAC registration number, that are falsely declared as kitchen wares and tables.

The Category 3 seizures include Container No. MRKU 0904594 (40FT) that was found to contain two stolen vehicles from Canada – a 2024 model Lexus RX 450 vehicle with chassis number JTJCJNGA6R2017707 and another 2023 Lexus RX 350 with chassis number 2T2BAMCAPCO32741 which are falsely declared as food items, while container No. SEKU 4716830 (40FT) was also found to contain 390 bales of used clothing which contravene the import prohibition law.

“Therefore, while we facilitate trade, collect revenue for government, the NCS owe the Nigerian people the duty of protecting them from dangerous imports that are injurious to their health and wellbeing. As   officers at the   nation’s largest, busiest and   premier port, we   are determined to avoid making Nigerians vulnerable to the selfish interests of merchant of death whose stock in trade is to bring in harmful substances”, the elated Comptroller Olomu said.

“In addition to  contravening  the Nigeria  Customs Service  Act  2023, these imported containers with  prohibited  medical items  also violate the World Customs Organization’s Operation Stop IV – which is a global enforcement operation  against  trafficking  of  counterfeit, substandard  and  unauthorized medical supplies”, the CAC noted.

Furthermore, the CAC also disclosed that, three suspects have been arrested in connection with these seizures so far and that are at various stages of interrogation to face the full wrath of the law.

Reiterating the commitment of the command under his watch to continue to spring up surprises in its mandate of revenue generation, the CAC intimated that having crossed the one trillion naira collection before the end of the fifth month, the command have so far generated a total of N1,094 trillion as at 21 May 2025.

“This collection confirms our trajectory and laudable antecedent of meeting and surpassing our target”, Olomu said.

Promising the readiness of the command to do better this year with capacity, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD, also chronicled the outstanding revenue collection on a daily record breaking progression to include collection of N18.2 billion in October 2024, to a feat of N18.9billion Collection on March 14, 2025, and another record-breaking collection of N18.919 billion on May 20, 2025.

However, while serving stern warning to perpetrators of illicit activities, the CAC said Apapa Port will remain a no-go area for any unlawful activity, noting that officers are very much ready to uncover concealment and effect seizures or arrest where necessary.