Customs Hands Over N5.8m Seized Unregistered Drugs To NAFDAC In Sokoto

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto The Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over seized unregistered pharmaceutical products valued at N5,804,062.06 to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action. The handing over ceremony was held on Wednesday , October 28, 2026, at the Command Headquarters in Sokoto, in line with existing inter-agency collaboration and the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. Speaking during the ceremony, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, DC Haliru Isah Abdullahi, said the items were intercepted by gallant patrol teams along the Illela-Sokoto road, following credible intelligence and the commitment of officers of the Command. He listed the seized items to include 360 packages of anti-cold containing 50 cards each with 4 tablets per card, 500 packages of Amodiaquine containing 25 cards each with 3 tablets per card, 140 packages of Paracetamol containing 100 cards each with 10 tablets per card, and 100 packages of Quinine containing 10 cards each with 10 tablets per card. Abdullahi said the importation of the unregistered drugs contravened Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and NAFDAC regulations, noting that the drugs posed great danger to the health of Nigerians as they were not certified for consumption. He warned smugglers and dealers in unwholesome products that the Sokoto/Zamfara Command under his watch would not tolerate any form of smuggling, stressing that the Command remained vigilant and committed to safeguarding the health of citizens and the nation’s economy. He commended the officers who made the seizure possible for their diligence and bravery, and appreciated NAFDAC for its continuous partnership with the Service. “I hereby formally hand over these seized items to the NAFDAC team for further necessary action,” Abdullahi declared. Responding, the Coordinator of NAFDAC, Sokoto State, Abdulsalam Lawan, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for the inter-agency collaboration that had helped in curbing the entry of fake drugs into the country. Lawan noted that the agency and Customs had enjoyed wonderful collaboration which had led to the ridding of unwholesome products from the country, and urged the Customs Service to sustain the tempo. He assured that NAFDAC would carry out further investigation on the seized products and take necessary action in line with its mandate to protect public health and ensure only certified drugs circulate in the country.