Customs Upholds Vigorous Anti-Smuggling Momentum Against Importers of Substandard Pharmaceuticals, Arms, Others
… Impounds 16 Consignments worth over N10Bn at Apapa Command
The Apapa Premier Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is at it again leading the pack with its anti-smuggling streak and onslaught against carriers of offensive consignments capable of threatening the nation’s coexistence.
Seizures of Arms, Ammunition and most especially unregistered, fake pharmaceuticals have become one too many being intercepted by the officials of the Apapa Area Command of the service. This seizure recurring decimal seems to be rife since the advent of the present Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD, a no nonsense leader of the command, whose leadership mantra has so far brought fame to the NCS.
Under his watch, the command has attained an unprecedented revenue trajectory hitting over One Trillion, Three Hundred Billion mark in the first half year of 2025, and still counting, unmatchable Anti-Smuggling exploits, especially fake drugs, pharmaceuticals and for its robust trade facilitation inputs and improved collaborations with relevant stakeholders.
Again, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR was personally on ground to showcase the quantum seizures of 16 Container Consignments laden with Arm, Ammunition and various kinds of unregistered and fake pharmaceuticals, expired poultry products, others worth over N10billion.
During the press briefing event which took place on Monday, August 11, 2025, at AP Moeller Terminal (APMT), Apapa port, the CGC reiterated the service Commitment to do its best in safeguarding the nation’s coexistence by continued thwarting the illicit activities of unpatriotic Nigerians, economic saboteurs that are in the habit of bringing or trading with offensive, contraband items for peculiar gains.
CGC Adeniyi who lamented the high rate of importation of these items, most especially fake and expired pharmaceuticals, also avowed that the Nigeria Customs Service under his watch is determined to cripple the illicit businesses of purveyors of fake and unregistered pharmaceuticals if they refuse to change and give up their deadly and inhumane ventures.
He recalled that their illicit activities led to Customs’ declaration of the state of emergency at Onne Port and restricted the clearance of pharmaceuticals to the Port terminals which banned the various bonded terminals under the service control from receiving the product.
The CGC also reaffirmed the recent ban on transfer of imported pharmaceuticals consignments to bonded terminals nationwide, in a decisive move to stamp out illicit trading in the nation’s polity and borders.
The decision according to the him was necessitated following recurring alarming cases of abuse by importers, hence the need to tighten control and ensure all pharmaceutical imports are processed strictly within designated ports.
Adeniyi further emphasized that the Service has adopted a zero-tolerance stance against smuggling, vowing to dismantle criminal networks attempting to turn Nigeria into a dumping ground for dangerous imports.
Adeniyi however praised the robust inter- agency collaboration, intelligence-driven approach and application of intrusive technology which are some of the deployed techniques that led to tracking, and eventual interception of these seized illicit consignments.
Adeniyi recounted how barely three weeks ago, he was at the same Apapa Command jurisdiction to hand over some seized pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), with similar exercise carried out in Onne recently.
“These preventive anti-smuggling activities aside being part of our core mandate also strengthen our inter-agency relationship and uphold the signed MoU with NAFDAC and robust synergy with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“Today, we have seizures of fourteen (16) containers laden with prohibited drugs,expired medicament, expired food, and other items that run foul of our import prohibition guidelines, including arms and ammunition.
“These smuggled items have a harmful effect on the health and wellbeing of unsuspecting Nigerians who would have consumed them in addition to causing insecurity in the country.
“It is important to once again reiterate that the NCS is ever committed to rid Nigeria of illicit and harmful medical importation by breaking their supply chain as we ensure they don’t go beyond our seaports, airports and land borders into our commercial ecosystem.
“Despite our campaigns against these kinds of importation backed with seizures and arrests, the people I call merchants of death have chosen Apapa Port as an entry point for prohibited items. As usual, they failed to pull through.
We are resolute to confront these people who do not mean well for Nigerians and the economy by ensuring our entry points are not used for their unlawful acts”, Adeniyi said.
Breaking down the seizures, the elated CGC explained that operatives in Apapa Port with the support of internal intelligence and sister government agencies seized three (3) containers of expired margarine, three (3) containers of used clothes and five (5) containers carrying expired drugs, prohibited medicament and colorado hemp.
Furthermore, he said on July 24, 2025, during a joint physical examination with the NDLEA, a 1x40ft container number MRSU 6407089 was found to contain 202cans of Colorado Loud la specie of cannabis from Canada) with each can weighing 500 grams totaling 101Kg.
Also found inside the same container, is the uncovering of two (2) pump Action Rifles, 25 cartridges of ammunition, One (1) Smith & Wesson Pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, 1 blank, and other accessories.
He however confirmed a case of false declaration and attempting to circumvent our processes, the system bill of laden listed the items of import as 3Toyota Sienna and 1 Toyota Camry vehicles with the consignee as Babatunde Ogidiolu Samuel.
He consequently noted that, two suspects, the agent, one Mr. Modi Azuka of No.1Miracle Street, Ago Palace Way, and another suspect identified as Mrs. Lisa Akpedeme have been arrested and detained in connection with the Canadian Loud and weapons, and who according to him, are currently undergoing interrogation.
“We also seized container number OERU 4243517 (40FT) found to contain 1,290 sacks of frozen chicken breast and another FBIU 5507953found to contain (40FT)1,290 sacks of frozen chicken breast.
“In a related development, another seized container number ZCSU 7277511 (40FT)
was found to contain 305 cartons of toothpaste without NAFDAC Registration number, cartons of slippers concealed in 46 cartons of beads,40 cartons of Jalabiya, amongst others”, he said.
Adeniyi further disclosed that in the morning of the press briefing, operatives at the Apapa port intercepted two containers (1x40ft and 1x20ft) carrying 2,401 cartons of codeine syrup.
He said another two suspects arrested in connection with two containers of smuggled frozen poultry products.
For the arms, ammunition and drugs, the two suspects were handed over to the NDLEA and DSS for further investigation and prosecution while the other two held for the poultry products shall be handed over to NAFDAC.
Also in a separate development, container number CAIU 4979294 1×40 was found to contain CSP codeine syrup; another 1×40 container number MRKU 3738603 was found to contain 1,100 cartons of expired chest and lungs tablets without NAFDAC number.
Similarly, there was also seven other seizures comprising three containers of expired margárine and two used clothing; a 1x20container was laden with 540 cartons of expired feed and cyprophetadine tablets without NAFDAC number.
The Duty Paid Value of the seized items was according to the CGC put at N10,273,694,595.00 (Ten billion, two hundred and seventy-three million, six hundred and ninety-four thousand, five hundred and ninety-five naira only).
In conclusion, he said, the service vow to protect the national economy, the well-being of citizens and residents of Nigeria remains unshaken, as he once again warned that the NCS, with the support of our strategic partners, will keep delivering uncompromising enforcement backed by intelligence to detect and seize prohibited items.
As a result, perpetrators of these unlawful acts and their collaborators will also not be spared boy the long arms of the law whenever our investigation gives clue about their complicity in these criminal activities
“Criminal elements who are determined to make our country a hub for destructive substances will always have our operatives to contend with. For us, this is a full-scale resistance and arrest session for them, and we are not ready to give up on this. We will run them out of business into jail”, he said.
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