By Titilayo Olamide
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command, has seized prohibited imports worth over N3.2 billion, including codeine-laced cough syrup, unregistered pharmaceuticals, used clothing, and stolen luxury vehicles.
Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, who briefed journalists on Thursday, said the command’s recent crackdown is a result of uncompromising anti-smuggling operations bolstered by both local and international collaborations.
“Let me start by saying that this command is not sacrificing compliance on the altar of trade facilitation. On my watch, and with the inspiring guidance of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who was in the command two weeks ago to showcase 12 containers of seized pharmaceuticals,” said Olomu.
According to him, six more containers were intercepted containing mostly unregistered pharmaceuticals, as well as other prohibited items such as cosmetics, used clothes, and two smuggled vehicles.
“These seizures are worth a total DPV: N3,247,427,969.00 (Three billion, two hundred and forty-seven million, four hundred and twenty-seven thousand, nine hundred and sixty-nine naira),” he declared.
Details of the Seized Containers:
Category 1: Codeine Cough Syrup
Container No. SUDU 8685733 (40FT): 1,698 cartons of RTPL CSC Cough Syrup with codeine concealed in 202 packages of toilet seats.
Container No. MRSU 4846204 (40FT): 1,690 cartons of codeine syrup also hidden inside toilet seats.
These items are valued at N2.71 billion and were intercepted through a joint effort with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“Interestingly, these two containers were intercepted as a result of international collaboration as well as local networking with officers and men of the NDLEA,” Olomu noted.
Category 2: Unregistered and Falsely Declared Pharmaceuticals
Container No. ONEU 1153150 (40FT): Contained falsely declared anti-marks creams instead of truck tyres.
Container No. MRSU 3258823 (40FT): Contained Rabeprazole, Zahifranil tablets, Vancomycin Hydrochloride, and other pharmaceutical products declared as kitchenware and tables, all without NAFDAC registration.
Category 3: Smuggled Vehicles and Used Clothing
Container No. MRKU 0904594 (40FT): Carried two stolen vehicles from Canada — a 2024 Lexus RX 450 and a 2023 Lexus RX 350, falsely declared as food items.
Container No. SEKU 4716830 (40FT): Contained 390 bales of used clothing, contravening Nigeria’s import prohibition laws.
Olomu said the seizures also violated global trade laws.
“These imported containers with prohibited medical items also violate the World Customs Organization’s Operation Stop IV — a global enforcement operation against trafficking of counterfeit, substandard, and unauthorized medical supplies,” he said.
He confirmed that three suspects have been arrested and are undergoing interrogation.
Revenue Milestone
Despite the intense crackdown on smuggling, the Apapa Command has also recorded a revenue generation milestone.
“We have so far generated a total of N1.094 trillion as at 21 May 2025. This collection confirms our trajectory and laudable antecedent of meeting and surpassing our target,” Olomu stated.
According to him, Apapa Port achieved groundbreaking daily collections, including:
N18.2 billion in October 2024
N18.9 billion on March 14, 2025
N18.919 billion on May 20, 2025
Warnings and Interagency Collaboration
The Comptroller warned smugglers to steer clear of Apapa Port.
“Apapa Port will remain a no-go area for any unlawful activity and our officers are very much ready to uncover concealments and effect seizures or arrest where necessary.”
ACG Buba O Wakawa, Commander of the Apapa Strategic Command of NARCOTIS, said:
“To stop the manufacturing of codeine into Nigeria, what they have done now is to use foreign companies, neighbouring countries that do not have MOU in India. They have diverted it to Nigeria…
I will not talk much because these people are watching us. And because they are watching us, they are following the trends. We want to assure you that our collaboration is very robust and will pin them whichever angle they come from.”
“Let me use this opportunity once again to thank the Nigerian Customs for this energy. I assure you and I assure the Nigerian Customs that we will pursue this investigation of this case with logical conclusions. I will leave that to you.”
CP Olarewanju Ishola,the Commissioner Western Marine Police Command Apapa, commended the Customs and NDLEA:
“Apapa Port is a no-go area for criminal activities. Once again, kudos to the Customs Service and the NDLEA. Nigeria, with the type of officers we have here, is no longer a safe haven for those dogs that shouldn’t cross our borders.”
Kingsley Odunma, the Deputy Director Port Inspection NAFDAC, emphasised inter-agency cooperation:
“We’ve been having a good relationship, a good synergy with other sister agencies… NAFDAC is doing all its best to work with other agencies to have good information so that this country will not be a dumping ground for such products.
I pray that the good Lord will help us so that we’ll be doing our work properly and at the end of the day, things will be better for us.”
