Customs Thwarts Health Crisis, Halts ₦59m Worth of Expired Drug Shipment

By Muhammad Bashir

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area I Command, has handed over a consignment of expired pharmaceutical products with a Combined Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of more than N59 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), after intercepting the shipment before it could enter Nigerian markets.

The handover took place on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, at the Command Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in the presence of representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), freight forwarding associations, other security agencies and industry stakeholders.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller of Customs Salamatu Atuluku, described the interception as another demonstration of the Service’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of Nigerians, disclosing that, “The expired medicaments were intercepted during a joint examination conducted by officers of the Command in collaboration with NAFDAC and other relevant agencies. The consignment contained several cartons of expired pharmaceutical products with a Combined Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of over Fifty-Nine Million Naira.”

The CAC said the seizure prevented potentially devastating consequences for unsuspecting consumers, stressing that, “Expired medicines pose significant health risks, including treatment failure, drug toxicity and antimicrobial resistance. The NCS will remain resolute in preventing expired, substandard, falsified and prohibited products from entering the country.”

Comptroller Atuluku attributed the Command’s enforcement successes to the strategic leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, appreciating his continued support for intelligence-driven operations and stronger inter-agency collaboration in protecting Nigeria’s borders and public health.

Receiving the consignment on behalf of NAFDAC, the Deputy Director, Port Inspection Directorate, Pharm. Adepoju Raufu, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its vigilance and professionalism, assuring that, “NAFDAC will immediately commence the necessary regulatory procedures to ensure the safe disposal of the expired medicaments in accordance with established laws and guidelines.”

Also speaking, the Zonal Director, NAFDAC South-South Zone, Pharm. Chukwuma Oligbu, praised the leadership of Comptroller Atuluku and officers of the Port Harcourt Area I Command for their commitment to public safety, adding that, “This handover further demonstrates the excellent working relationship between NAFDAC and the Nigeria Customs Service. We must continue to strengthen collaboration to prevent unsafe pharmaceutical products from getting into the hands of Nigerians.”