Apapa Customs Intercepts 16 Containers With Arms, Ammunition, Fake Pharmaceuticals, Military Wares, Others Worth N10bn
By Asuquo Nuwak
Apapa Customs Intercepts 16 Containers With Arms, Ammunition, Fake Pharmaceuticals, Military Wares, Others Worth N10bn
••• Arrests five suspects in connection with the seizures
Despite economic challenges facing the country, arising from increase in inflation, high cost of living, financial hardships which has impacted all citizens, the Apapa Area Command has remained focused on its mandate of revenue generation for the government and curbing the menace of smuggling and other illicit activities that undermine the economy.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bishir Adewale Adeniyi, who highlighted the significant achievements of the Service, also announced that the the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 16 containers laden with arms, ammunition, pharmaceuticals and other products at Apapa port.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bishir Adewale Adeniyi, who disclosed this during a press briefing on Monday, also said that 14 of the 16 containers were laden with prohibited drugs, expired medicament, expired food, and other items that run foul of their import prohibition guidelines, including arms and ammunition.
He stated that these smuggled items have a harmful effect on the health and wellbeing of unsuspecting Nigerians who would have consumed them in addition to causing insecurity in the country.
He regretted to announce that despite the campaigns against these kinds of importation backed with seizures and arrests, merchants of death have chosen Apapa Port as an entry point for prohibited items.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, who put the Duty Paid Value of the seized items at N N10,273,694,595.00 also stated that
despite the campaigns by the Service against these kinds of importation backed with seizures and arrests, the people he calls and describes as “merchants of death” have chosen Apapa Port as an entry point for prohibited items, adding that as usual, they failed to pull through.
He is quoted as stating that: “We are resolute to confront these people who do not mean well for Nigerians and the economy by ensuring our entry points are not used for their unlawful acts”
Besides, he said the Service operatives in Apapa Port with the support of the Service internal intelligence and sister government agencies have seized three containers of expired margarine, three containers of used clothes and five containers carrying expired drugs, prohibited medicament and colorado hemp.
He cast his mind back on July 24, 2025, during a joint physical examination with the NDLEA, a 1x40ft container number MRSU 6407089 was found to contain 202 cans of Colorado Loud la specie of cannabis from Canada, with each can weighing 500 grams totaling 101Kg.
Aside from this, the Service operatives also uncovered 2 pump action rifles, 25 cartridges of ammunition, 1 Smith & Wesson Pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, 1 blank, and other accessories inside the same container
He said in confirming a case of false declaration and attempting to circumvent the Service processes, the system bill of laden listed the items of import as 3 Toyota Sienna and 1 Toyota Camry vehicles with the consignee as Babatunde Ogidiolu Samuel.
Consequently, two suspects, the agent, one Mr. Modi Azuka of No.1Miracle Street, Ago Palace Way, and another suspect identified as Mrs.Lisa Akpedeme have been arrested and detained in connection with the Canadian Loud and weapons.They are currently undergoing interrogation.
The breakdown of the seized container includes container number OERU 4243517 (40FT) found to contain 1,290 sacks of frozen chicken breast and another FBIU 5507953 found to contain (40FT)1,290 sacks of frozen chicken breast.
Further breakdown of another seized container includes container number ZCSU 7277511 (40FT) found to contain 305 cartons of toothpaste without NAFDAC Registration number, cartons of slippers concealed in 46 cartons of beads, 40 cartons of Jalabiya, amongst others.
In a related development, the operatives at the Apapa port on Monday intercepted two containers (1x40ft and 1x20ft) carrying 2,401 cartons of codeine syrup.
Meanwhile, another two suspects were arrested in connection with two containers of smuggled frozen poultry products.
The report said two suspects in connection with the smuggled arms, ammunition and drugs, shall be handed over to the NDLEA and DSS for further investigation and prosecution, while the other two held for the poultry products shall be handed over to NAFDAC.
Further breakdown of the seized container includes container number CAIU 4979294 1×40 found to contain CSP codeine syrup; another 1×40 container number MRKU 3738603 found to contain 1,100 cartons of expired chest and lungs tablets without NAFDAC number.
In a similarly development, the report said seven other seizures comprising three containers of expired margárine and two used clothing; a 1×20 container laden with 540 cartons of expired feed and cyprophetadine tablets without NAFDAC number, with the Duty Paid Value of the seized items at N N10,273,694,595.00
Comptroller-General of Customs is quoted as saying that: “Our vow to protect the national economy, the well-being of citizens and residents of Nigeria remains unshaken”.
In his words: “Let me once again warn that the NCS, with the support of our strategic partners, will keep delivering uncompromising enforcement backed by intelligence to detect and seize prohibited items”.
He is further quoted as saying that: “Therefore, perpetrators of these unlawful acts and their collaborators will also not be spared by the long arms of the law whenever our investigation gives clue about their complicity in these criminal activities”.
Comptroller-General of Customs is quoted as saying at the end of the press briefing that: “Criminal elements who are determined to make our country a hub for destructive substances will always have our operatives to contend with. For us, this is a full-scale resistance and arrest session for them, and we are not ready to give up on this. We will run them out of business into jail”.
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