Comptroller Atuluku warns smugglers as ₦59m expired drugs are seized in Port Harcourt

Stanley Ihedigbo

Port Harcourt Area I Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over a consignment of expired pharmaceutical products valued at over ₦59 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), reaffirming its commitment to protecting Nigerians from harmful and prohibited imports.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held on July 29, 2026, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, said the exercise underscored the strong partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and NAFDAC in safeguarding public health and ensuring that only safe, genuine and properly regulated pharmaceutical products are allowed into the country.

According to the Comptroller, the expired medicines were intercepted on June 22, 2026, at about 1:20 p.m. during a joint examination conducted by officers of the Port Harcourt Area I Command, Shed III, in collaboration with NAFDAC and other relevant government agencies.

She disclosed that the 40-foot container, identified as MRSU3199206 (C No. 354) and originating from the United States, contained 606 cartons of Ibuprofen Capsules, 173 cartons of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets, 266 cartons of Subvenite (Lamotrigine) Tablets, 103 cartons of Lansoprazole Delayed Release Capsules and other expired pharmaceutical products with a combined CIF value exceeding ₦59 million.

Comptroller Atuluku described the interception as a major success that prevented dangerous medicines from reaching unsuspecting Nigerians.

She warned that expired medicines are not only ineffective but also pose serious health risks, including treatment failure, drug toxicity, worsening of existing medical conditions, antimicrobial resistance and, in severe cases, loss of lives.

According to her, if the pharmaceutical products had found their way into the market, they could have resulted in avoidable health complications with devastating consequences for consumers.

The Customs Area Controller stressed that the Nigeria Customs Service would not tolerate attempts by unscrupulous individuals or criminal networks to use Nigerian ports for the importation of expired, substandard, falsified or prohibited pharmaceutical products.

She described such activities as a direct threat to public health, national security and the integrity of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

“The Port Harcourt Area I Command remains unwavering in its resolve to protect the nation’s borders against the importation of harmful and prohibited goods. We will continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance collaboration with sister agencies and sustain robust cargo examinations to ensure that criminal elements do not exploit our ports for illicit trade,” she said.

She warned importers and smugglers involved in the illegal importation of expired medicines that the Nigeria Customs Service remains vigilant and will continue to identify, intercept and seize prohibited goods while ensuring that offenders are prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and other extant laws.

Comptroller Atuluku commended the professionalism, dedication and vigilance of officers of the Port Harcourt Area I Command, Customs intelligence units, NAFDAC and other security agencies that participated in the successful examination and interception of the container.

She noted that the operation highlighted the importance of effective inter-agency collaboration in protecting Nigeria’s borders and safeguarding the health of citizens.

The Customs Area Controller also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,  and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service for their transformational leadership.

She attributed the Command’s achievements to the Comptroller-General’s commitment to intelligence-driven enforcement, trade facilitation, institutional reforms and enhanced collaboration among government agencies.

According to her, the strategic guidance and support of the Customs leadership have empowered commands across the country to discharge their statutory responsibilities more effectively.

She concluded by thanking NAFDAC and other sister agencies for their continued cooperation and assured Nigerians that the Port Harcourt Area I Command would remain steadfast in its mandate to secure the nation’s borders and contribute to the health, safety and well-being of all citizens.