CUSTOMS IMPOUNDS N912 BILLIONS CONTRABAND, DRONES, MEDICALS , OTHERS = CG

by Ifeanyi Edwin nwabugu

Men of Nigerian Custom service ncs has intercepted high tech drones, unregistered pharmaceutical and other sophisticated items valued at N912 billions between the month of January and April 2025 in the year under review. This was disclosed to newsmen by Controller general of Nigerian custom service Wale Adeniyi in Lagos on Wednesday. He described the crackdown as a direct response to the activities of criminal gangs that is bent on undermining Nigerian border security and evading custom duties and frustrating extant laws on imports.
According to him ” Nigerian custom in collaboration with other agencies of government in exercise of our mandates, have therefore escalated our risks assessment protocols at all point of entry , and in pursuant to to the national strategic economic development plans and the executive order on port operations, we have intensify surveillance across unauthorised points of entries, especially seaports, airports and approved land borders. This is a direct response to the adaptive methodologies being deployed by transactional, transnational criminal networks seeking to compromise our border security architecture and circumvent established imports protocols ” of particular concerns he noted is the alarming prevalence of unregistered pharmaceutical products entering into our supply chain without registered regulatory approvals and quality assurance certifications, and this according to him constitutes a clear danger to public health with potential of causing significant mortality if allowed to flood our market.
The CG further expressed surprise at the sophisticated patterns of wrong declaration where importers deliberately classifies pharmaceuticals as general merchandise or cosmetics. He alluded all the efforts to inter agencies collaboration.
He was however full of commendation to men and officers Apapa port command and particularly the proactive area custom comptroller for their vigilance, professionalism and dedication to duty..