The Nigeria Customs Service, Area 11, Command Onne Port Harcourt Rivers State, says it has intercepted sixteen containers of contraband goods worth over N20.5 Billion as the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR lauded the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC for its collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service insisting the eleven of the intercepted containers contained illicit pharmaceutical drugs concealed within legitimate goods.
This disclosure was made Weekend, in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, during a press briefing .
Comptroller Adeniyi noted that, "In accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the Service’s mandate on public accountability and stakeholder engagement, I hereby convene this press briefing to formally apprise the general public of significant anti-smuggling operations undertaken by the Port Harcourt Area 11 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.”
The CGC assured, that “The Nigeria Customs Service maintains steadfast commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s policy objectives of securing our borders, protecting public health, and safeguarding national security.”
Even as he added that the Service's anti-smuggling operations aligned directly with the President Tinubu's administration's comprehensive approach to combating transnational organized crime and ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remained impenetrable to criminal enterprises seeking to compromise Nigerian sovereignty.
Adeniyi emphasized that by building upon established operational successes, the Service has intensified intelligence-led enforcement across all commands, particularly as it has focused on high-risk corridors and ports of entry.
Continuing, the Customs Boss stated that the Customs strategic partnerships with sister agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), operating under established Memoranda of Understanding and joint operational frameworks have demonstrably enhanced Customs enforcement capabilities. CGC Adeniyi maintained that, “Pursuant to Section 246 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and in exercise of powers conferred therein, the Port Harcourt 11 Area Command has executed a series of targeted interdictions that underscore our operational effectiveness in protecting Nigerian citizens from the infiltration of prohibited substances.”
He added, “The Command has successfully intercepted a total of sixteen (16) containers with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of Twenty Billion, Five Hundred and Forty Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-nine Thousand, Two Hundred Naira (?20,549,998,200) as calculated in accordance with Service valuation protocols."
He noted that "Analysis of these seizures reveals sophisticated concealment tactics and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols."
Revealing that “Eleven (11) containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products comprising; 1,301,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each); 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac; 12,600,000 tablets of Royal Tapentadol/Tramadol (225mg each); 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol (5mg each); 210,000 tablets of Hyergra (200mg each); 717,360 tablets of Bisoveu; 2,200,000 tablets of Bassuka (50mgeach).”
More so, the CGC stated that “The contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of Smart vehicles parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream. This modus operandi represents calculated attempts to exploit legitimate trade channels while evading regulatory scrutiny.”
On the negative impact in the society, the Customs Boss said that the potential impact of those illicit pharmaceuticals on public health and national security could not be overstated even as he insisted that unregulated pharmaceutical products pose
severe risks which according to him include drug addiction, compromised treatment outcomes, and the facilitation of organized criminal activities that could threaten community safety and national stability.
CGC Adeniyi commended the customs Port Harcourt Area 11, Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede and his officers and men whom, he noted that through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed those complex interdictions, insisting that their actions exemplify the core values of the Service and demonstrated Customs collective commitment to protecting Nigeria’s borders and citizens.
The CGC therefore, reaffirmed that, the Nigeria Customs Service remained committed to supporting
President Tinubu’s security and economic transformation agenda through enhanced border management, strengthened inter-agency collaboration, and sustained anti-smuggling operations.
Vowing that the Nigeria Customs Service shall deploy all resources at their disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secured against those who would compromise the national health security and economic prosperity for criminal gain even as he warned all criminal networks attempting to use National borders for illicit activities, that the Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with other sister agencies has maintained zero tolerance for smuggling operations and as defaulters would face the full weight of the law .
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede has expressed his unreserved gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs and the Council Chairman, World Customs Organisation (WCO),Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR for his support and encouragement.
He said his command was able to achieve the feat as a result of collaboration and synergy between his command and sister agencies.
"We are able to achieve this because of the excellent relationship and collaboration between us and our sister agencies," Babandede said.
"We cannot do it alone, but to rely on our CGC’s mandate of collaboration, consolidation and innovation", he noted
Comptroller Babandede praised other sister agencies for the high level of synergy existing between them and called for its sustenance.
The highpoint of the event was the official handover of the containers to the NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye by the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Present at the occasion, include, Customs Zone C, Zonal Coordinator ACG SK Dangladima, ACG T Bomodi of E, I and I, Comptroller BA Balogun, FOU Zone C Headquarters Owerri, Comptroller CC Dim, Eastern Marine Command, Comptroller CG Ogbonna ,Akwaibom/ Calabar Command, CAC Area 1, Command Comptroller YM Hashim, Comptroller UM Abubakar Ibeto Customs command, Comptroller MO. Omisore PCA, ACP. Remy Obireze represented Eastern Ports, Police command, NDLEA, Immigration , Nigerian Navy, members of ANLCA, NAGAFF, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, APFFLON, Terminal operators among others.
By Bon Peters,
in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
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