Again Apapa Customs Descend Heavily On Enemies Of the State ...Seizes 6 Containers of Unwholesome Imports Worth N3.2b ...Arrests Three Suspects

As the Apapa command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) continues to intensify it's anti smuggling activities and dealing decisively with enemies of the state and economic saboteurs, the command has again intercepted six containers Laden with unregistered pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Used Clotthings and stolen exotic cars worth well over #3.2b and attrested 3 suspects in connection with the seizures.

Addressing  the media at the command headquarters in Apapa on Thursday, of the command, the customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD, informed that the six containers laden with prohibited items mostly unregistered pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, used clothing and the two cars which were stolen from Canada all with a total Duty Paid Value DPV of 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).

Giving a break down of the seizures, Compt. Olomu disclosed that the seizures were in three categories, which comprises as follows; 

Category  1

Container No.SUDU 8685733 (40FT) was found to contain 1,698  of  RTPL  CSC  Cough  syrup  with  codeine  concealed in 202 packages of water closet. >Container No.MRSU 4846204(40FT) was found to contain 1,690 cartons of codeine syrup concealed in toilet seat.The two seizures have a street value of N2,710,400,000.00 (Two billion,seven hundred and ten million,four hundred thousand naira only).  Interestingly,these   two   containers   were    intercepted   as    a  result  of international collaboration as well as local networking with officers and men of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). 

Category  2 

Container  No.ONEU  1153150(40  FT) found to contain 1,584 packages  of  Globatin anti-marks  & 30g  Clobetasol   cream falsely declared as TRUCK TYRES. >Container No.MRSU   3258823 (40 FT) was found to contain Rabeprazole,for injection, 25mg Zahifranil tablets,1000mg vancomycinehydro chloride, ciprophetadine  with  vitamin  B     complex, and  other  pharmaceutical  products  without   NAFDAC   registration number, falsely declared as kitchen wares and tables.

Category  3

Container  No.MRKU 0904594(40  FT) was found to contain two stolen vehicles from Canada.A 2024 model Lexus RX 450 vehicle with chasis number JTJCJNGA6R2017707 and another 2023 Lexus RX 350 with chasis number 2T2BAMCAPCO32741falsely  declared  as food  items.> While container No.SEKU 4716830(40 FT) was found to contain 390  bales  of  used  clothing which contravenes the  import prohibition law.

Comptroller Olomu noted that these seizures were fallouts of uncompromising anti-smuggling activities of the command, warning that the command will not sacrifice compliance on the altar of trade facilitation, saying that under his watch and with the inspiring guidance of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, the command remain committed to its mandate.

Compt. Olomu declared that the command would not sacrifice compliance to the import guidelines and other import extant laws, especially Customs Act ,2023, on the altar of trade facilitation.

In his words,  "While we facilitate trade, collect revenue for government, the NCS owes the Nigerian people the duty of protecting them from dangerous imports that are injurious to their health and wellbeing;  

Continuing, Olomu said, ”As officers  at the nation’s  largest, busiest  and   premier port, we  are determined to avoid making Nigerians vulnerable to the selfish interests of merchant of death whose stock in trade is to bring in harmful substances”.

He went further to inform that the three suspects that were arrested in connection with these seizures are at various stages of interrogation to face the full wrath of the law.

The Controller of the premier port command of the service also disclosed that the command has crossed the one trillion naira collection before the end of the fifth month, having generated a total of #1,094 trillion as at 21 May 2025.

This collection according to the CAC confirms the command's trajectory and laudable antecedent of meeting and surpassing her target. 

He said, "Like we’ve done before, we are ready to do better this year. Our chronicle of outstanding revenue collection speaks boldly for us and attests to our capacity to do more;

For instance, in October 2024, we collected #18.2 billion; on March 14, 2025, we recorded a feat of N18.9 billion and on 20 May, 2025, we made another record-breaking collection of N18.919 billion. All these were groundbreaking daily collections,”  the Apapa controller revealed.

Warning economic sabutours that might want to use the command to perpetrate their evil intentions, Olomu said, "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.

Recall that two weeks ago, the CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR  was in the command to showcase seizures of 12 containers of pharmaceuticals.