Joy Anyim
Officials of the Nigerian Customs Service, on Wednesday, destroyed 58 containers of Tramadol and other pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N14.7 billion, at Oke-Diya Dumpsite in Shagamu, Ogun State.
It was gathered that the prohibited drugs which were imported from China and India were substandard and had no approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The containers of drug were intercepted at the Apapa port, Tin Can port and others customs commands in the country.
Condemning the continued importation of Tramadol and other harmful drugs by criminally minded individuals, the Comptroller – General of Customs (GGC), Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd) urged Nigerians to support the government in the fight against the importation and infiltration of illicit drugs in the country.
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Speaking at the destruction of the drugs by the Joint Committee on Destruction of Seized Drugs (Tramadol) Consignment by NCS and NAFDAC, the CGC Ali also emphasised on the need for more synergy amongst agencies of government to achieve more feat.
Ali who was represented by the Zonal Coordinator of Customs, Zone ‘A’ Lagos, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, (ACG), Kathleen Ekekezie, said, “I appreciate the importance of this committee for the commitment and due diligence exhibited so far in conducting this important national assignment which is considered to be a service to humanity.
“The seized items to be destroyed were intercepted at various customs formations across the country.
“The menace of such drugs in our society cannot be underestimated , having caused a huge negative impact both on our economy as well as the danger on human lives.
“I call on the sundry to assist officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant security and regulatory agencies by providing real time information at all times to help fish out the perpetrators of this negative act of smugging dangerous drugs and bring them to justice.”
The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) Aminu Dahiru attributed the rising cases of kidnapping, banditry and other crimes ravaging the nation to the influx of such drugs.
Dahiru said the exercise will be replicated in other NCS zones in the country. In his words, “Today’s event symbolizes yet another milestone in the history of NCS in its effort to deliver on its mandate of reducing smuggling to the barest minimum as well as contribution to free the country from fake, substandard, unregistered and abuse of controlled drugs.
“ The seizure of these drugs have in no small way prevented the occasion of many kind of social vices such as kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and other associated crimes we are facing today. One can only imagine the effects or harm these drugs would have caused it it had sneaked into the society.
“I consider this exercise as not only a call to duty but also service to humanity. The seizure and destruction of these drugs is in line with the federal government’s desire to weed the country from fake substandard and unregistered drugs so as to guarantee a secured nation.
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“A total of 58 containers of Tramadol and other dangerous and unregistered pharmaceuticals with a duty paid value of N14,706,032,871 were seized by various commands of NCS.
“Today’s event is the first in line of series of seized drugs to be destroyed in the country. Similar exercise will be carried out at the Kaduna port Harcourt and Bauchi zones of Nigeria Customs Service in due course.”
He also drew attention to the fact that some officials of the agency have had to put their lives on the line to ensure such illicit drugs do not find their way into the market.
“These drugs to be destroyed here today constitute just a meagre number among the numerous seizures already handed over to NAFDAC and NDLEA for destruction in the past.
“These quantity of seizures recorded by NCS officers have not been without some cost of series of threat, attacks, maiming and even killings of officers.”
Director General of NAFDA, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said all hands must be on deck to salvage the situation.
Prof. Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of Registration and Regulatory Affairs, Monica Eimunieze, also called on the media to be at the forefront of the campaign against illicit drugs.
At the occasion were the Governor of Ogun State, The Ogun Commissioner of Police, NDLEA and other agencies.
