Barely weeks after the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) set up a committee to implement the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening regulatory collaboration, the two agencies, alongside other security outfits, have recorded a major breakthrough with the interception of 16 containers loaded with illicit pharmaceutical products, valued at over ₦20.5 billion, at the Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the seizure during a press briefing held at the Command’s headquarters in Onne, Rivers State, on Friday, 18 July 2025. He attributed the successful operation to intelligence-driven enforcement and the renewed synergy between national security and regulatory bodies.
“Our anti-smuggling operations align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy on border security, public health, and national safety. We remain committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s borders are not exploited by criminal elements,” the CGC stated.
He explained that the smugglers attempted to disguise the illicit drugs as regular imports such as tomato paste, ceiling fans, and plumbing materials, employing what he described as “sophisticated concealment tactics.”
