Port Harcourt Customs Hands Over N59m Expired Pharmaceuticals to NAFDAC, Reinforces Port Security
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area I Command, has handed over a consignment of expired pharmaceutical products worth over ₦59 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), reaffirming its commitment to protecting Nigerians from harmful and prohibited imports.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held at the Command on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, said the seizure underscored the strong collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and NAFDAC in safeguarding public health and ensuring that only safe and properly regulated pharmaceutical products enter the country.
According to her, the expired drugs were intercepted on June 22, 2026, during a joint examination conducted by officers of the Port Harcourt Area I Command, NAFDAC and other relevant government agencies at Shed III of the Port Harcourt Port.
She disclosed that the 40-foot container, numbered MRSU3199206 (C No. 354) and imported from the United States, contained 606 cartons of Ibuprofen Capsules, 173 cartons of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets, 266 cartons of Subvenite (Lamotrigine) Tablets, 103 cartons of Lansoprazole Delayed Release Capsules, among other expired pharmaceutical products, with a Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value exceeding ₦59 million.
Atuluku described the interception as a major success that prevented what could have become a serious public health crisis.
“Expired medicines are not merely ineffective; they pose significant health risks, including treatment failure, drug toxicity, worsening of medical conditions, antimicrobial resistance and, in severe cases, loss of lives,” she said.
The Customs Area Controller warned that the Service would not tolerate attempts by criminal networks to use Nigerian ports as channels for importing expired, substandard, falsified or prohibited pharmaceutical products.
She stressed that such activities threaten public health, national security and the integrity of the country’s healthcare system, adding that the Command would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance inter-agency collaboration and sustain rigorous cargo examination to prevent illicit trade.
Atuluku said the interception should serve as a strong warning to importers of prohibited goods that the Nigeria Customs Service remains vigilant and would continue to identify, seize and prosecute offenders in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and other extant laws.
She commended the professionalism and dedication of officers of the Port Harcourt Area I Command, Customs intelligence units, NAFDAC and other security agencies involved in the operation, noting that their collective efforts demonstrated the importance of collaboration in protecting the nation’s borders.
The Customs Area Controller also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management of the Service for providing the strategic leadership and support that have strengthened intelligence-driven enforcement, inter-agency cooperation and operational efficiency across Customs commands.
She assured Nigerians that the Port Harcourt Area I Command would remain resolute in its mandate to secure the nation’s borders and prevent the importation of harmful goods capable of endangering lives and undermining public safety.
One Comment