Apapa Customs Intercepts ₦10.2bn Worth of Arms, Ammunition, Unregistered Pharmaceuticals, Other Items
The Apapa Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 16 containers with prohibited substances, including arms and ammunition, expired drugs and food items, as well as unregistered pharmaceuticals worth ₦10,273,694,595.
While addressing newsmen on the intercepted items at the port on Monday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, recalled that about three weeks ago, he handed over some seized pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with a similar exercise carried out in Onne, Port Harcourt.
His words: “These preventive anti-smuggling activities aside being part of our core mandate also strengthen our inter-agency relationship and uphold the signed MoU with NAFDAC and robust synergy with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“Today, we have seizures of sixteen (16) containers laden with prohibited drugs, expired medicament, expired food, and other items that run foul of our import prohibition guidelines, including arms and ammunition.”
CGC Adeniyi noted that these smuggled items have a harmful effect on the health and wellbeing of unsuspecting Nigerians who would have consumed them in addition to causing insecurity in the country.
He reiterated the NCS’s commitment to rid Nigeria of illicit and harmful medical importation by breaking the supply chain of smugglers and ensuring that they don’t go beyond the seaports, airports, and land borders into the commercial ecosystem.
“Despite our campaigns against these kinds of importation backed with seizures and arrests, the people I call merchants of death have chosen Apapa Port as an entry point for prohibited items. As usual, they failed to pull through. We are resolute to confront these people who do not mean well for Nigerians and the economy by ensuring our entry points are not used for their unlawful acts,” he stated.
Adeniyi highlighted the intercepted items with the support of internal intelligence and sister government agencies, including three (3) containers of expired margarine, three (3) containers of used clothes, and five (5) containers carrying expired drugs, prohibited medicament and colorado hemp.
The Customs boss also revealed that on July 24, 2025, during a joint physical examination with the NDLEA, a 1x40ft container number MRSU 6407089 was found to contain 202 cans of Colorado Loud (a specie of cannabis from Canada) with each can weighing 500 grams totalling 101Kg.
He disclosed that the Service uncovered 2 pump action rifles, 25 cartridges of ammunition, 1 Smith & Wesson Pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, 1 blank, and other accessories, inside the same container.
“Confirming a case of false declaration and attempting to circumvent our processes, the system bill of laden listed the items of import as 3 Toyota Sienna and 1 Toyota Camry vehicles with the consignee as Babatunde Ogidiolu Samuel.
“Consequently, two suspects, the agent, one Mr. Modi Azuka of No.1 Miracle Street, Ago Palace Way, and another suspect identified as Mrs. Lisa Akpedeme have been arrested and detained in connection with the Canadian Loud and weapons. They are currently undergoing interrogation,” he said.
CGC Adeniyi also outlined other seizures, including container number OERU 4243517 (40FT) containing 1,290 sacks of frozen chicken breast; FBIU 5507953 (40FT) containing 1,290 sacks of frozen chicken breast; and container number ZCSU 7277511 (40FT) containing 305 cartons of toothpaste without NAFDAC registration number; cartons of slippers concealed in 46 cartons of beads; 40 cartons of Jalabiya, among others.
Speaking further, he disclosed that operatives at the Apapa port intercepted two containers (1x40ft and 1x20ft) carrying 2,401 cartons of codeine syrup earlier in the morning.
“We also have another two suspects in connection with two containers of smuggled frozen poultry products. For the arms, ammunition and drugs, the two suspects shall be handed over to the NDLEA and DSS for further investigation and prosecution while the other two held for the poultry products shall be handed over to NAFDAC.
“In a separate development, container number CAIU 4979294 1×40 was found to contain CSP codeine syrup; another 1×40 container number MRKU 3738603 was found to contain 1,100 cartons of expired chest and lungs tablets without NAFDAC number. Similarly, we also have seven other seizures comprising three containers of expired margarine and two used clothing; a 1×20 container was laden with 540 cartons of expired feed and cyproheptadine tablets without NAFDAC number.
“The Duty Paid Value of the seized items is ₦10,273,694,595.00 (Ten billion, two hundred and seventy-three million, six hundred and ninety-four thousand, five hundred and ninety-five naira only),” the Customs leader said.
Adeniyi mentioned that the Service’s vow to protect the national economy, the well-being of citizens and residents of Nigeria remains unshaken.
He affirmed that the NCS with the support of strategic partners, will keep delivering uncompromising enforcement backed by intelligence to detect and seize prohibited items.
CGC Adeniyi warned that perpetrators of these unlawful acts and their collaborators will also not be spared by the long arms of the law whenever the Service’s investigation gives clue about their complicity in these criminal activities.
He added: “Criminal elements who are determined to make our country a hub for destructive substances will always have our operatives to contend with. For us, this is a full-scale resistance and arrest session for them, and we are not ready to give up on this. We will run them out of business into jail.”
