Customs Leading Nigeria’s Renewed Onslaught Against Illegal ImportationThe Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with sister government agencies, is stepping up the fight against smuggling at the ports with massive seizures across the country, Ismail Aniemu and Maria Yusuf report
Recently in Lagos,the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced the seizure of 16 containers laden with contraband, including arms, drugs, expired pharmaceuticals, counterfeit goods, and banned food items, with a total duty paid value exceeding ₦10 billion.
This was disclosed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during a press briefing held at the Apapa Port in Lagos on 11th August ,2025.
This Lagos seizures at the nation’s premier port of Apapa is the largest of haul of other contraband interceptions
According to the Customs Boss, among the seized shipments, were containers with the numbers MRSU6407089, OERU4243517, FBIU5507953, ZZSU7277511, and two additional 40-foot containers that arrived just a day before the briefing, found to contain codeine-based products. One of the containers, MRSU6407089, was initially declared clean but later found through intelligence and scanning to contain 101 kilograms of Colorado Loud, a synthetic cannabis imported from Canada. Alongside the narcotics, Customs also recovered two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges, a Smith & Wesson pistol, 55 rounds of ammunition, and other arms accessories.
He said that other seizures involved seven containers of expired drugs and unregistered medicaments, three containers of expired food items including margarine, and three containers of banned used clothing. Containers OERU4243517 and FBIU5507953 were each found carrying 1,290 sacks of frozen poultry, illegally imported into the country. Container ZZSU7277511 was discovered to have 305 cartons of counterfeit toothpaste, concealed under beads and jalabiya garments, in a clear case of intellectual property infringement and NAFDAC regulation violations. The two most recent arrivals, also 40-foot containers, were intercepted based on intelligence and are linked to the same smuggling syndicate behind earlier seizures.
Adeniyi revealed that total of five arrests have been made in connection with these seizures and three suspects have been formally charged and are currently remanded in Ikoyi Prisons, while two others remain on administrative bail pending prosecution.
He also disclosed that the container was consigned to an individual identified as Mr. Babatunde Ogidioglu with a Lagos address and intelligence gathered so far suggests a coordinated operation by transnational smuggling networks and investigations are ongoing to establish culpability and dismantle the criminal syndicates involved.
The CGC also said that these seizures justify the Service’s firm stance on restricting pharmaceutical imports to the ports, rather than allowing their transfer to bonded terminals many of which have failed to meet security and compliance standards. He reteirated the Service position in increasing its deployment of non-intrusive inspection technologies, especially scanners, and will deepen cooperation with agencies like NAFDAC, NDLEA, and international customs bodies to ensure Nigeria is not turned into a hub for illicit imports
Pharmacist Olaniran Olakunle Daniel, who represented the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), described the products as fake and a hypostimulant with no therapeutic value. He stated that the product not only fails to deliver any health benefits but can also pose serious health risks such as ulcers and constipation.
According to him, continued use may worsen the patient’s condition, ultimately requiring further medical intervention. He emphasised that such harmful and ineffective products have no place in the Nigerian market and must be destroyed to protect public health.
Pharmacist Daniel further urged the public to be cautious and avoid patronising unlicensed pharmacies or purchasing drugs from shops that are not certified by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. He stressed the importance of only using medications that have been tested and approved through proper laboratory procedures. He called on all citizens, especially regulatory stakeholders, to remain vigilant in the fight against counterfeit drugs.
Strategic Commander, NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command, Assistant Commander General of Narcotics (ACGN) , Buba Obadiah Wakawa , commended the successful collaboration between sister agencies, and other regulatory bodies, which led to the seizure of the harmful and unauthorised products. He said that the synergy among the agencies demonstrates the government’s commitment to enforcing drug safety regulations and ensuring that dangerous and fake products are swiftly identified and removed from circulation.
He further assured Nigerians that the agency will not relent in its duty to prevent the distribution of illicit and harmful substances. He stated that continuous surveillance, intelligence sharing, and joint operations will remain central to their strategy in combating drug related threats. He also issued a warning to manufacturers and distributors, declaring that Nigeria is not a dumping ground for unapproved and life threatening products.
Also in a major crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, the service also seized pharmaceutical products, with a duty paid value of ₦20,549,999,200.00 at Area 2 Command, Onne ports Rivers State. The interception, described as one of the largest in recent times, was carried out in accordance with established service valuation protocols.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony , Adeniyi , revealed that Eleven of the containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products comprising 1,301,000 bottles of codeine syrup, 9,300,000 products of reny extra dychlophenic fantamac, 12,600,000 products of royal dacencapel/Panadol in the category of 225mg, 3,500,000 products of trodon in 5mg each, 210,000 products of ayezua in 200mg, and 717,316 products of Binsovo-G and 2,200,000 products of Basuka in 450mg each.
He stated that all the prohibited drugs were deliberately hidden within legitimate consumer goods in an attempt to evade detection as the smugglers used various items to mask the contraband, including 9,280 tree cutters, 180 ceiling fans, 2,610 plumbing materials, 2,268 smart tech vehicle bags, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of body cream.
NAFDAC Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, condemned the scale of the illegal pharmaceutical shipment and the elaborate concealment strategy, saying it pointed to deliberate and calculated criminal activity. She warned of the devastating public health implications, stating, “This goes beyond smuggling .This is a direct threat to human life, driven by profit.” Professor Adeyeye assured the public that all intercepted products would be subjected to comprehensive laboratory analysis and safely destroyed in line with global best practices.
In his remarks, Comptroller Muhammed Babandede, The Area Controller of the Command, commended the strong inter agency collaboration that made the seizure possible, highlighting the roles of NAFDAC, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). Babandede described the operation as a landmark success in the ongoing efforts to curb the influx of harmful substances into the country.
The seized items were officially handed over to the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye.
No More Pharmaceutical Stemming to Bonded Terminals
Meanwhile, Adeniyi has announced the stoppage of pharmaceuticals imported into to Nigeria from being stemmed to Bonded Terminals following discovered abuse by importers.
Adeniyi who said this on Monday in Lagos, added that such importation will now be processed only within the approved ports to check and prevent such abuses.
The CGC while unveiling 16 containers seized by the Apapa Port Command comprising of expired medicine, hard drugs, arms, ammunition and unwholesome poultry products
Announcing a total of 5 arrests, Adeniyi said the seizures are valued above ₦10b. He also said the service will continually prevent importers and their agents from making Nigeria a dumping ground
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