-Intercepts 68 Containers of Illicit Drugs, ammunition, Others with DPV of N29billion
By Innocent Orok
Barely a month of intercepting 25 containers of Illicit drugs and other items, the Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on August 11, 2025 seized another set of 40ft x16 containers loaded with prohibited items, including firearms, ammunition, military gear, and fake drugs, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) exceeding N10 billion. Comptroller General of Customs , Adewale Adeniyi has showcased these offensive imports to journalists and stakeholders at the Enforcement Unit of the Command.
Similarly , on July 12, 2025, the command through the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi has also showcased a total of 25 x 40ft containers intercepted by the Command containing unwholesome pharmaceutical imports and other items with an estimated Duty Paid Value of over N9.235billion.
During it’s half year report ( January – June ) 2025, the Command headed by a Competent, Capacity and Patriotism (CCP) endowed Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi, PhD has announced that the command in its anti- smuggling feats intercepted a total of 27 containers with various infractions against the NCS Act import guidelines. The DPV of the seizures was put at N9.36billion.
A cursory insight into the anti-smuggling account of the Apapa Customs Command in 2025 signifies nothing than an unprecedented and total clampdown on smuggling activities, making the Apapa port a no ,-go -area for illicit trade or smuggling of uncustoms and dangerous goods into the country .
The command’s statistics from January 2025 to 12 August 2025 has shown that a total of 68 containers with a whooping Duty Paid Value estimated at over N29billion was recorded. This is first of its kind and unprecedented in the history of the command.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, while announcing the latest seizures of 16 containers at a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, August 11 detailed how a tip-off led to the discovery of a 40-foot container, number MRSU6407089, which was initially declared “clean” but on a secondary search by a joint team from the NCS and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) revealed the concealment of 202 cans of “Colorado Loud,” a Canadian strain of cannabis, totaling 101 kilograms.
He said subsequent scanning also uncovered two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges of ammunition, and a Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, along with other accessories. The CGC identified the consignee of the container as Mr Babatunde Ogidiolu with a Lagos address. Adeniyi stated that the containers were discovered through intelligence-led operations and the use of scanners.
According to the Customs boss , “Today it gives me pleasure to announce the seizure of 16 containers of goods whose importation violates our laws and threatens our collective peace and security. I would like to begin with the seizure of 1 by 40 footer container number MRSU6407089.
“This container on receipt of intelligence was jointly examined by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and NDLEA. Initially this container was adjudged clean, but secondary search by the two agencies revealed the concealment of 202 cans of Colorado Loud, that is a Canadian drug. Each of the cans weighs 500 grams and the total seizure involved is 101 kilograms.
“That’s about two bags of cement worth of drugs. However, intelligence available to us suggests that it is not only about drugs inside these containers. Acting on this advice, the CAC was directed to deploy scanners and subject these containers to scanning.
“And when this was done, arms and ammunition were discovered inside the container. Two pump-action rifles and 25 cartridges of ammunition were discovered. Also discovered was one Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, one blank and a number of accessories.
“This container had Mr Babatunde Ogidiolu of an address in Lagos as the consignee of these products. Other seizures include that of seven containers of expired drugs and prohibited medicaments, three containers of expired food items, particularly margarine, and three containers of absolutely prohibited used clothing.
Another notable seizure was a container with 305 cartons of toothpaste, found to be infringing on the intellectual property rights of a Nigerian company and lacking NAFDAC registration.
Two additional containers containing unregistered and expired chest and lung tablets were also seized.
He further revealed that two more 40-foot containers, which had been under surveillance, arrived at the port Sunday and were confirmed to contain codeine.
“The information that we had on these containers is linking the owners to that of the previous ones that we have made. The information that we are getting from this will help us to determine the link between the importers of the previous ones.
“It will help us to establish the culpability of the importers and of course their agents. The duty paid values of all these seizures is in excess of 10 billion Naira, ” he said.
The Customs CG said five arrests have been made in connection with the seizures, with three of the suspects already charged and remanded at Ikoyi prison, while two others are on administrative bail pending their court date.
Adeniyi vowed that the NCS, in collaboration with local and international partners, including NAFDAC and the NDLEA, would work to identify those behind the importation of these illicit goods and prevent Nigeria from becoming a dumping ground.
The Comptroller General also reiterated the NCS’s decision to halt the transfer of pharmaceutical products to bonded terminals, citing concerns over non-compliance and security risks at some facilities.
“We have heard reports indicating that Nigeria Customs Service cannot trample upon the rights of importers to make use of bonded terminals of their choice. I very much agree with those arguments that we needed to give priorities to the issues of trade facilitation. These terminals that we are talking about operate under license provided by the Board of Nigeria Customs Service.
“Our obligation in licensing them is not only to facilitate trade, but also ensure that security and compliance regulations are met. Have all the bonded terminals met these obligations? Some of them have, but so many of them have failed to meet this obligation. This is why we are reiterating our position that until further notice we will no longer allow pharmaceutical products to be stem into terminals outside our ports,” he stated.
Adeniyi affirmed the NCS’s commitment to prioritizing intelligence-driven operations and the use of scanners to keep the nation safe.
The seized arms and ammunition were subsequently handed over to the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for further action.
On July 12, when CGC Adewale Adeniyi performed similar exercise at the Enforcement Unit of the Apapa Customs Command, while handing over of 25 Containers of unwholesome pharmaceutical imports sized by the Apapa Customs Command to National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC),
Adeniyi also informed that the Nigeria Customs is presently reviewing operational licences of all Bonded Terminals to ascertain those that will remain after the review of operational fees which has not been done for ages and those that will be closed down for defaults in terms of agreement and those found to have defaulted the Advance Ruling tool after audit by the Customs Post Clearance Audit.
He also revealed that N1.5bn has been recovered from Bonded Terminals, while another N1.6bn is still being expected from defaulting payments by Bonded terminals.
His words: “Where it is discovered that haulage operators, bonded Terminal owners, or any other trade facilitators are complicit in these illegal activities, such persons or companies will face the full weight of the law.
” Our intelligence network and technological capabilities have been significantly enhanced to detect and intercept prohibited items regardless of concealment methods or documentation subterfuge.”
These seizures has an aggregate Duty-paid value of N9,235,402,973. While handing the 25 containers to NAFDAC , Adeniyi informed that the seizures represents a sophisticated network of criminal enterprise that deliberately exploit regulatory gaps to compromise national health security.
He commended Comptroller Babatunde Olomu and the Apapa Customs operatives at the Apapa port Command, who through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed these complex interdictions, reflecting the core values of the Customs Service.
With the level of revenue collection trade facilitation, anti- smuggling feats among other frontal successes, the Command under Comptroller Babatunde Olomu is living up to the task and showing it. There is no gain saying with the level of gigantic fears , especially in revenue collection and anti- smuggling activities which is unprecedented in the Command ,it could termed that, the Apapa Customs Command under Comptroller Babatunde Olomu is at war with smugglers and smuggling activities.
