The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area I Command, has intercepted and handed over improperly declared pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), reinforcing efforts to prevent unregulated medical supplies from entering the Nigerian market.
In a statement issued on Thursday, February 12, 2026, and signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASC I Aanee Barilule, the formal handover took place at the NAHCO Shed, Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, under the leadership of the Customs Area Controller, Salamatu Atuluku.
Addressing journalists, Comptroller Atuluku disclosed that the seizure followed routine examination and intelligence-driven scrutiny conducted by officers of the Command in collaboration with relevant agencies.
“During examination at the NAHCO Shed, our officers uncovered six packages of pharmaceutical products, including Menotrophin 150 IU injections, Progesterone and Isifrane, as well as three packages of medicaments containing Tramadol Ratiopharm injections,” she said.
According to her, the consignments were discovered in two separate shipments and were neither properly declared nor accompanied by the mandatory NAFDAC certification required for lawful importation into Nigeria.
“These products were brought into the country without proper declaration and without the required regulatory clearance. No pharmaceutical product is permitted entry into Nigeria without full compliance with NAFDAC regulations, regardless of the importer or the volume involved,” she stated firmly.
“This deliberate misdeclaration is unacceptable. Our responsibility is to protect Nigerians from harmful, unregulated and substandard pharmaceutical products. We will not compromise on that duty,” Comptroller Atuluku said.
She reaffirmed that the Command’s action aligns with one of the policy thrusts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, anchored on collaboration.
Commending officers of the Customs Intelligence Unit and personnel involved in the operation, she added, “The Comptroller-General has consistently emphasised intelligence-driven enforcement and inter-agency collaboration. This interception reflects that directive in action.”
Responding on behalf of NAFDAC, the Deputy Director of the Agency’s Port Inspection Directorate, Adepoju Raufu, expressed appreciation to the NCS for its vigilance and timely handover.
“The collaboration between NAFDAC and the NCS is essential in preventing unregistered and potentially dangerous pharmaceutical products from entering the Nigerian market,” he said.
He assured that the seized items would undergo appropriate regulatory procedures in line with the agency’s mandate.
“We will take the necessary regulatory steps to ensure that these products are properly handled in accordance with the law and in the interest of public health,” he added.
