Kebbi Customs Hands Over ₦223m Worth of Toxic Herbicides, ₦2.5m Cannabis, Ammunition to NAFDAC, NDLEA, NCCSALW
The Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over seized consignments of harmful agricultural herbicides valued at ₦223,054,385.66 and 330 wraps of suspected Cannabis sativa worth ₦2,520,000 to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), respectively.
The Command also handed over 37 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and 12 cartridges for a pump-action firearm to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for appropriate statutory action.
According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs Mohammed Tajuddeen Salisu, the handing-over ceremony was conducted at the Command Headquarters, Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
Salisu disclosed that the exercise was carried out pursuant to the directive and approval of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, following the interception, seizure, and inspection of the items by the relevant authorities.
He highlighted the agricultural herbicides handed over to NAFDAC, including 500 cartons of Rezim Herbicide, 708 cartons of Gramosun, 1,291 cartons of Sun-Paraquat, 1,990 cartons of Gbeledzo, and 1,620 cartons of Gramostrong.
“Following an inspection by NAFDAC, the products were found to contain active agents that make them highly toxic and potentially harmful to human health and the environment, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦223,054,385.66. The Command also handed over 330 wraps of suspected Cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with a stated Duty Paid Value of ₦2,520,000.00.
“Similarly, the Command handed over Thirty-Seven (37) rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and Twelve (12) cartridges for a pump-action firearm to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for appropriate statutory action,” he disclosed.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Customs Area Controller, Kebbi Area Command, Comptroller Mahmoud Matawalle, emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration among law enforcement, regulatory, and security agencies in combating the illicit movement of harmful substances, controlled drugs, arms, and ammunition.
Comptroller Matawalle stated that the exercise underscored the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting public health, safeguarding national security, promoting regulatory compliance, and preventing prohibited and harmful items from entering the distribution chain.
In his remarks, the State Commander of NDLEA, Rabiu Abdullahi Sokoto, commended the Kebbi Customs Command for its continued cooperation and support in the fight against illicit drugs and other controlled substances.
Sokoto revealed that the handover was not the first of its kind, noting that the Command had previously handed over similar seized items to the Agency.
He added that the NDLEA had, on previous occasions, invited the Customs Command to witness the destruction of seized illicit drugs and controlled substances, in line with established procedures, thereby promoting transparency and accountability in the process.
Speaking at the ceremony, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Muyideen Suleiman, described the handing-over as a significant milestone, noting that the quantity of agricultural herbicides represented the largest seizure handed over by the Kebbi Area Command to the NAFDAC Kebbi State Office and, by extension, one of the largest seizures received by the Agency in the North-West Zone.
Suleiman expressed appreciation to Kebbi Customs for its continued support and collaboration with NAFDAC in combating the circulation of harmful, unapproved, and potentially hazardous agricultural products.
He further expressed hope for greater synergy and sustained collaboration between both agencies in tackling the importation, distribution, and circulation of substandard, falsified, unapproved, and harmful regulated products in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Zonal Director of NCCSALW, the Centre’s representative, Captain Iliya Dauda (rtd.), expressed appreciation to Kebbi Customs for its sustained cooperation and partnership.
Dauda commended the Command for the successful interception and handing-over of the live ammunition, stressing that such seizures and their subsequent transfer to the appropriate authority highlight the importance of inter-agency collaboration in curbing the illicit movement of arms and ammunition and strengthening national security.
The programme concluded with the formal signing of the handover notes, followed by the official presentation and transfer of the seized items to the respective agencies. It also included a group photograph of officials and representatives of the participating agencies.
