Agorehmi Bright, Reporting
PORT HARCOURT — The Port Harcourt Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over a consignment of expired pharmaceutical products valued at over fifty-nine million naira to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, speaking during the handover at the command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, said the seizure reflected the command’s commitment to preventing harmful and prohibited pharmaceutical products from entering the Nigerian market.
How the Seizure Was Made
Comptroller Atuluku disclosed that the drugs, concealed in a 1x40FT container, were intercepted on June 22, 2026, during a joint cargo examination at Shed III, conducted in collaboration with NAFDAC and other relevant agencies.
According to her: “On 22 June 2026 at about 1320 hours, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service Port Harcourt Area 1 Command, Shed III, acting in collaboration with NAFDAC and other relevant government agencies, conducted a joint examination on a 1x40FT container with container number MRSU3199206, C NO. 354 originating from the United States.
“The container was found to contain 606 cartons of Ibuprofen Capsules, 173 cartons of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets, 266 cartons of Subvenite (Lamotrigine) Tablets, 103 cartons of Lansoprazole Delayed Release Capsules, among others with CIF value of over fifty-nine million naira.”
“The seizure was a clear demonstration of the Command’s commitment to preventing harmful and prohibited pharmaceutical products from finding their way into Nigerian markets,” Atuluku stated.
The Customs boss warned that allowing expired medicines into circulation could have posed severe health consequences for millions of Nigerians.
She also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for supporting intelligence-led operations and strengthening inter-agency cooperation.
NAFDAC Vows Decisive Action
Receiving the items on behalf of NAFDAC, the Director of the South-South Zone, Pharm. Chukwuma Oligbu, commended Comptroller Atuluku and her team for preventing the expired drugs from entering the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
He described the incident as a deliberate attempt to undermine public health and vowed that the agency would take decisive action against those involved.
“It’s so pathetic that somebody will come under the disguise of donation of drugs and bring in a container of expired drugs. It seems the person concerned has become a serial violator. So we’re going to take it very seriously because we cannot continue to tolerate this evil menace that is plaguing our society,” Oligbu said.
Safe Disposal to Follow
The NAFDAC Southern Zonal Director assured that the agency would immediately commence regulatory procedures for the safe disposal of the expired medicaments in accordance with established laws and guidelines.
He further stated that the fight against counterfeit and expired drugs requires sustained collaboration, adding that NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding the health of Nigerians.
Oligbu called for more inter-agency collaboration to tackle the menace.
“Counterfeiting is a global challenge in our world and as you fight, people are devising other means to escape. But as we join hands and take our stand, we will, with God on our side, rid our society of this evil menace that is eating up our world,” he said.
Stakeholders Witness Handover
Our Correspondent reports that the handover exercise was witnessed by representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies, freight forwarding associations and industry stakeholders.
