Customs Hands Over N5.8m Unregistered Drugs to NAFDAC in Sokoto
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, has handed over unregistered pharmaceutical products valued at N5.8 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC for further investigation and necessary regulatory action.
The products were intercepted by Customs patrol teams along the Illela-Sokoto Road following credible intelligence, according to the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Haliru Abdullahi.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the command headquarters in Sokoto on Wednesday, Abdullahi said the seizure demonstrated the command’s commitment to preventing the circulation of unregistered medicines and protecting public health.
He disclosed that the seized items comprised 360 packages of anti cold drugs, 500 packages of amodiaquine, 140 packages of paracetamol and 100 packages of quinine, with a total Duty Paid Value of N5,804,062.06.
The acting controller said the importation of unregistered pharmaceutical products contravened Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and relevant NAFDAC regulations.
He warned smugglers and dealers involved in the illegal trade to desist, stressing that the command would not tolerate activities that could endanger public health.
“Let me use this opportunity to warn smugglers and those who deal in such unwholesome products that the Sokoto/Zamfara Command, under my watch, will not tolerate any form of smuggling.
“We remain vigilant and committed to safeguarding the health of citizens and the nation’s economy,” he said.
Abdullahi commended the officers responsible for the interception, attributing the success to their dedication and the quality of intelligence received. He also acknowledged NAFDAC’s continued collaboration with the Customs Service in combating the circulation of prohibited and unregistered products.
Receiving the seized items on behalf of NAFDAC, the agency’s Sokoto State Coordinator, AbduSalam Lawal, praised Customs for its cooperation and sustained efforts to rid the country of unwholesome pharmaceutical products.
Lawal said the partnership between both agencies remained essential to protecting Nigerians from potentially harmful medicines and preventing unregistered products from reaching consumers.
“On behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC and the entire management of the agency, I want to express our sincere appreciation to the Nigerian Customs Service for the wonderful collaboration we’ve been enjoying,” he said.
He added that sustained cooperation between the two agencies was necessary to eliminate unwholesome pharmaceutical products from circulation.
“This is the only way we can rid the country of some of these unwholesome products from circulation. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of your men,” Lawal said.
The NAFDAC coordinator reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Customs to ensure that seized pharmaceutical products undergo the appropriate regulatory procedures.
The handover underscores the importance of inter-agency cooperation in combating the illegal movement of pharmaceutical products and safeguarding public health.
