Apapa Customs hands over seized containers of unwholesome drugs to NDLEA

The Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service has handed over six (6) containers carrying falsely declared and unwholesome pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Some of the unwholesome pharmaceutical products were tramadol, cough syrup with codeine, and injections.

Performing the handover at Apapa Port in Lagos on Monday, November 4, 2024, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, the Customs Area Controller, said the handing over, which was at the instruction of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the robust inter-agency collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and sister government agencies in the port.

According to him, “Today, on the instruction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, we shall be handing over six (6) containers carrying falsely declared and unwholesome pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“This handover further underscores the robust inter-agency collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and sister government agencies in the port. It further demonstrates our ability to prevent illicit importation from entering the Nigerian market through the port.

“As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty of preventing the import and export of cargo that could undermine their well-being and security. These medical importations have expired, while others are not evaluated by NAFDAC and could cause damages to Nigerians, if consumed,

“The content of these containers contravenes the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff (CET) and section 233 of the NCS Act 2023. Some of the contents are unapproved dosage of tramadol, cough syrup with codeine, injections and more.”

He noted that, from January 2024 to date, the command had recorded over thirty-six (36) seizures of various items ranging from used clothings, frozen poultry product, Tramadol, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and other controlled substances. These seizures are valued at over NI.5 billion.

On revenue generation, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu said “From January-October 2024, we generated a total of One trillion, eight hundred and seventy-five billion, three hundred and sixty-two million, three hundred and sixty-nine thousand, two hundred and fourteen naira, four kobo (NI,875,362,369,214.4) higher than the Nine hundred and thirty-one billion, one hundred and twenty-three million, nine hundred and ninety-eight thousand, two hundred and thirteen naira, eighty-eight kobo (N931,123,998,213.88) generated in the corresponding period in the year 2023, showing 101% increase over last year’s revenue figure.

“It is instructive to state that our October 2024 collection is Two hundred and sixty-four billion, Four hundred and fifty-five million, Five hundred and eighty-seven thousand, Seven hundred and Ninety two naira, fifty-six kobo (N264,455,587,792.56). This is the highest monthly collection in the history of this command. Therefore, we are hopeful of meeting and even surpassing our target of N2.2 trillion as the year winds down.”

To further boost trade facilitation Olomu informed that Nigeria Customs service Management is driving a modern and paperless system as the command gearing up to migrate from the old system to a new system while maximizing the benefits of what we have presently

“Like I mentioned in other fora, the Nigeria Customs service Management is driving a modern and paperless system and here in Apapa we are gearing up to migrate from the old system to a new system while maximizing the benefits of what we have presently. Nevertheless, the command has keyed into trade facilitation tools like AEO and Advanced Ruling to ensure seamless movement of both import and export cargoes.

“Furthermore, in line with the Federal Government agenda of Ease of Doing Business, the command operates on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that importers take delivery of their cargoes devoid of any delay. We also have an intra government working system where all government agencies work together as a team without compromising the mandates of our respective agencies. Equally, we have a wider customs-stakeholder forum where only issues pertaining to customs alone are looked into and addressed as and when due.

“It is noteworthy to state that just last week, the command facilitated the first shipment of cargo to Kenya under the AfCFTA regime,” said he.

He maintained that the level of compliance by stakeholders since he came onboard has increased significantly. “On my watch, the stakeholder’s compliance level in Apapa port has increased and this is a testament to the very regular interactions we have established as directed by the Comptroller General of Customs.

“I want to specially thank all sister government agencies and our strategic private sector partners for being part of the success we are celebrating today. Their contributions have been invaluable and the impacts are evident in our scorecard.

“We shall continue to detect false declarations, concealment, under valuation and other unethical practices aimed at evading duties, short changing the government and exposing citizens to unsafe products,” Olomu vowed.