Adeniyi Commissions Customs Analytics Centre in Apapa, Displays N6.4bn Illicit Drugs In 13 Containers

Technology-driven enforcement by the Nigeria Customs Service has led to the interception of contraband goods worth ₦6.4 billion at the Apapa Port, as the Service intensified the deployment of modern inspection systems to combat smuggling and protect the nation’s economy.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during the commissioning of the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytics Centre at the Apapa Command, describing the facility as a major step toward strengthening intelligence-driven operations and enhancing cargo monitoring across Nigeria’s ports.

He explained that the seizures, involving 13 containers of contraband items including expired pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs and other prohibited goods, were made possible through improved risk profiling, non-intrusive inspection technology and coordinated enforcement by officers of the Apapa Command.

Adeniyi said the seizures highlighted the Service’s determination to block criminal networks from using Nigerian ports to import dangerous and prohibited items while ensuring that legitimate traders continue to benefit from faster cargo clearance.

Performing the commissioning on Tuesday, the CGC disclosed that the volume of cargo passing through Nigeria’s seaports has increased significantly, making it imperative for Customs to combine trade facilitation with strict enforcement against smuggling and false declarations.

He noted that the Service has intensified the deployment of technology-driven cargo inspection systems, particularly non-intrusive scanning technology, to enhance cargo examination procedures and improve efficiency at ports.

Operational data from Apapa Port, he disclosed, shows that 3,236 consignments were processed through the Orange channel (scanning), 5,490 through the Yellow channel (documentary checks), while 21,373 consignments underwent full physical examination under the Red channel. Additionally, 1,118 consignments passed through the Blue channel and 149 through the Green channel, reflecting risk-based trade facilitation procedures.

Adeniyi explained that the dominance of physical examinations underscores the need to expand scanning technology to enable faster clearance for compliant traders while allowing officers to focus enforcement efforts on high-risk cargo.

“Our strategic objective is to significantly increase the proportion of cargo subjected to scanning across all major entry points in Nigeria before the end of the year,” he said, listing Apapa, Tin Can Island, Port Harcourt, Onne and Calabar ports as key targets for the expansion.

The Customs boss said the latest seizures were made possible through intelligence-driven risk profiling supported by scanning technology and targeted physical inspections.

Following detailed examination, officers uncovered multiple illegal consignments, including a 40-foot container carrying expired pharmaceutical products such as Mixagrip cold caplets, Ladinax tablets, chloroquine injections and diclofenac tablets.

Two additional containers were found to contain large consignments of unregistered pharmaceuticals including Hyegra 200 and Sildenafil Citrate, while another container concealed 800 cartons of codeine syrup inside toilet flushing cisterns and sanitary ware.

Other interceptions included containers loaded with expired biscuits, energy drinks and tomato paste, as well as restricted security equipment such as bulletproof vests, helmets, walkie-talkies and tactical torches imported without the required End-User Certificates.

Customs officers also discovered large consignments of codeine cough syrup hidden inside food flasks, alongside additional pharmaceutical products and 13 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 347.57 kilograms concealed inside a Toyota Sienna vehicle.

In total, the seizures were valued at ₦6,381,237,988, representing a major enforcement breakthrough against illegal imports.

Adeniyi warned that the importation of expired drugs and controlled substances poses a direct threat to public health and contributes to substance abuse across the country.

“Apapa Port is no longer a playground for smugglers hiding behind legitimate trade documentation,” he declared, adding that all seized consignments would be forfeited in accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, while individuals connected to the shipments would face prosecution.

He assured legitimate traders that Customs enforcement efforts are targeted at criminal activity and not compliant businesses.

“To compliant traders and investors, our enforcement is not against legitimate trade; it is against criminality. Those who comply with the law will continue to enjoy facilitation and predictable clearance processes,” he said.

Meanwhile, the CGC commissioned the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytical Centre, a new intelligence and operational facility at the command.
Welcoming the Comptroller-General, the Customs Area Controller for Apapa Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, said the two-storey complex represents a major step toward technology-driven border security.

According to him, the facility will house a state-of-the-art analytics centre, the Customs Intelligence Unit and a clinic for officers, alongside other strategic operational units.

Oshoba described the project as a reflection of the Comptroller-General’s vision to deploy modern technology and data analytics in the fight against smuggling while improving the welfare and operational efficiency of Customs personnel.

He added that the project was made possible through collaboration with stakeholders under the Customs-PACT (Partnership for Cooperation in Trade) initiative.

In his remarks during the commissioning, Adeniyi commended the leadership of the Apapa Command, describing it as a strategic command that continues to lead in revenue generation, trade facilitation and enforcement activities within the Nigeria Customs Service.

He said the new facility would further strengthen intelligence-driven enforcement operations as the Service intensifies efforts to intercept high-risk consignments and safeguard Nigeria’s borders.