The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Port Command has made significant seizures of prohibited and restricted items including drones, illicit drugs, unregistered pharmaceuticals, sex enhancement products, among others worth N921million between January and April 2025.
Speaking at a briefing held in the Command on Wednesday, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR made this known, stating that the seizures included 11 contrabands.
These comprised- 5 units of 40-foot containers; 2 units of 20-foot containers and 4 additional seizures of loosely concealed contraband items as he categorised the seized items into three main groups.
Category A: Unregistered Pharmaceuticals 63.7% of the seized items are unregistered pharmaceutical products lacking National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, registration numbers, contravening Section 28 of the NAFDAC Act.
Category B: Expired Food Items Expired food items that pose health risks due to compromised safety profiles, violating food regulations.
Category C: Controlled Equipment Drone technology and telecommunications devices imported without End-User Certificates from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, breaching national security regulations.
He also highlighted six key patterns identified by the Agency in smuggling activities, stating “Upon meticulous analysis of these seizures, the Service has identified several significant patterns that warrant public attention.
Adeniyi noted that five of the eleven seizures involved various forms of sildenafil citrate and related sexual enhancement medications, thus he described the development as a disturbing trend in the importation of unregulated sexual performance drugs that pose serious health risks, including potential cardiovascular complications and harmful drug interactions when used without proper medical supervision.
“We have observed a sophisticated pattern of misdeclaration where importers deliberately classify pharmaceuticals as general merchandise or cosmetics. Container MRSU 3041714 declared sildenafil products as omeprazole capsules, while TCKU 6930113 concealed skin creams as cosmetic powder. This demonstrates calculated attempts to evade regulatory scrutiny.
“The seizures reveal importers are diversifying their contraband portfolios—combining pharmaceuticals, food items, and controlled technology in systematic shipments. This suggests the emergence of organized networks with sophisticated logistics capabilities rather than isolated smuggling attempts,” he said.
The Customs boss noted that analysis reveals a pattern in the selection of countries of origin, with many consignments originating from jurisdictions with less stringent pharmaceutical export controls, adding that it indicates deliberate exploitation of regulatory gaps in the international supply chain.
Despite the seizures, the Comptroller General of Customs reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders and protecting national security, economic prosperity, and public health.l
