Customs Port Harcourt Area 1 Command Hands Over Seized Pharmaceuticals to NAFDAC | The Bureau News
By Bon Peters
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over seized pharmaceutical products intercepted at Omagwa International Airport to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in a move reinforcing regulatory enforcement captured in Nigeria News Today.
Nigeria News Today: Customs Intercepts Undeclared Pharmaceutical Shipments
According to a press statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Barilule Aanee, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, the formal handover took place on February 12, 2026, at the NAHCO Shed, Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.
The event drew representatives of sister security agencies, freight forwarding associations, and members of the media, highlighting coordinated regulatory efforts to safeguard public health and national security.
Details of the Seized Consignments
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, disclosed that the seizure resulted from routine examination and intelligence-driven scrutiny conducted at the NAHCO Shed in collaboration with relevant agencies.
She revealed that six packages of pharmaceutical products were discovered, including:
- Menotrophin 150 IU injections
- Progesterone
- Isifrane
Additionally, three packages of medicaments containing Tramadol Ratiopharm injections were intercepted in two separate consignments.
The products were neither properly declared nor accompanied by mandatory NAFDAC certification required for lawful importation into Nigeria.
Shipment Origins and False Declarations
One of the shipments, reportedly imported under the name Zecho Oil and Gas Nig. Ltd for Elite Health Pharmacy Ltd, carried Airway Bill No. 020 34858250, weighed 135 kilograms, and comprised 4,300 units transported by Lufthansa Cargo Airline.
Another consignment, under Allied Airway Bill No. 574 34543283 from Amsterdam, was falsely declared as spare parts.
“No pharmaceutical product is permitted entry into Nigeria without proper declaration and regulatory clearance from NAFDAC,” Comptroller Atuluku emphasized.
The Bureau News: Regulatory Compliance and Public Health Protection
Comptroller Atuluku reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to preventing harmful, unregulated, and substandard pharmaceutical products from entering the Nigerian market. She noted that the enforcement aligns with the policy thrust of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, which focuses on Innovation, Collaboration, and Consolidation.
She commended the Customs Intelligence Unit and officers involved, stressing that sustained inter-agency cooperation remains critical to preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s supply chain.
Responding, the Deputy Director of NAFDAC’s Port Inspection Directorate, Pharm. Adepoju Bayo Raufu, expressed appreciation for Customs’ vigilance and prompt action. He assured that the seized items would undergo appropriate regulatory procedures in line with NAFDAC’s mandate to safeguard public health.
The ceremony concluded with the formal transfer of the consignments to NAFDAC for further regulatory action.
As reported by The Bureau News, the development underscores ongoing enforcement efforts aimed at ensuring that only properly declared and certified pharmaceutical products gain access into Nigeria’s healthcare market.
