The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘B’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over large quantities of intercepted unregistered pharmaceutical products and industrial chemicals to two key regulatory bodies – National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
This development was disclosed in a statement released on Wednesday in Kaduna by the Unit’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Saidu Nuruddeen.
According to the statement, the handover was part of a broader enforcement effort targeting illicit and unsafe goods entering the country. The exercise took place on 17 July 2025, following the successful interception of the items by operatives of the Customs Unit.
Among the items surrendered to NAFDAC were over 58,000 sachets of unregistered 100mg and 50mg medications, as well as 27 cartons of Analgin injection – a drug banned or restricted in several countries due to its adverse health effects.
In addition, three sacks containing 990 units of Riodin chemical were transferred to NESREA officials.
The chemical, often used in industrial processes, poses significant environmental and public health risks when imported without regulation or proper safety protocols.
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Further revelations disclosed that about 250 bags of foreign parboiled rice, hidden inside a tanker, were intercepted en route to Yauri-Kontagora Road in Kebbi State but were later taken to Kaduna State.
Acting Comptroller of the Unit, AM Alkali, stressed that the operation underscored the Customs Service’s renewed commitment to intelligence-led enforcement and inter-agency collaboration to protect public health and the environment.
He lauded the efforts of his officers, stating that their vigilance and swift response were critical to the seizure. He further reaffirmed the Unit’s resolve to combat the smuggling of harmful and substandard goods into the country.
Comptroller Alkali also used the opportunity to commend President Bola Tinubu for extending the tenure of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, describing it as a well-deserved recognition of visionary leadership and dedication to reforming the Service.
Zone ‘B’ of the Federal Operations Unit spans several states including Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory. It is one of the largest enforcement zones of the Nigeria Customs Service.
