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The Nigerian Customs Service, Area 2 Command in Onne, Rivers State in collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser has destroyed about 60 containers of substandard and illegally imported pharmaceutical products worth billions of naira.
The destruction took place at the Rivers State Waste Management dump site along the Port Harcourt Airport Road on Wednesday.
Speaking at the site of the operation, Assistant Controller General of Customs from the Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation Department of the NCS, Timi Bomodi, said it was a joint operation carried out by a multi-agency committee set up by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Bomodi, who also serves as chairman of the committee for the destruction of illegally imported pharmaceuticals said, “It is a committee that was set up by the National Security Adviser comprising all other regulatory agencies.
“And so we are here today to carry out the main objective of the assignment, which is the destruction. The mandate given to this committee was to identify, isolate, evacuate, and destroy pharmaceuticals that were illegally imported into this country.
“Here in Port Harcourt, we are destroying about 64 pieces of 40-foot containers with an estimated market value that runs into hundreds of billions of naira. And as it is today, we are executing it without fear or favour, and sending a clear message to all those that are engaged in this kind of practice that they should desist.”
While lamenting the impact of the substances on both the well-being and security of Nigerians, he said, “As we know, these pharmaceuticals pose a very grave danger, not only to the health and well-being of Nigerians but also to the security of Nigerians.
He further said, “Some of these substances have been identified as a means of sustenance for criminals, kidnappers, bandits, and so on and they’ve used these illegally imported pharmaceuticals to facilitate their illicit conduct and behaviour.”
While noting that these containers have been seized over time by both officers of NCS and other agencies, he said, “We have the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the National Drug, Law Enforcement Agency. As you know these agencies work together at the Ports to ensure that there are no breaches in the security architecture of the country especially regarding to imports.
“So it is a joint exercise and of course the Office of the National Security Advisor who is coordinating this exercise to ensure that we do a thorough job in regards to evacuation, isolation and destruction.”
On the number of arrests, the Customs ACG said, “There are some arrests but they are still under investigation. So I can’t give you a definite figure for the total number of persons arrested. There are cases in court, some have been prosecuted.
“We have had condemnations on these items. Some of them have fictitious import documents, so you don’t have accurate information concerning the importer.
“But we are making all efforts trying to see that all those that are involved, either directly or remotely, in this activity are brought to book.”
On his part, Ribadu expressed satisfaction with the job done so far by the committee.
Represented by Commodore Kelechi Ogbonna in the office of the National Security Adviser, Ribadu said the exercise aims to ensure the products do not get into the society.
He stated, “The objectives of the committee is to identify the locations of these substandard, fake and illicit pharmaceuticals, as well as narcotics, such as tramadol and codeine which serve as substances of abuse and also enhancers for the perpetuation of such nefarious activities as banditry and other terrorist activities.
“So, the committee swung into action immediately and identified Apapa Port, Tincan Island Port, Onne Port, Calabar Port as well as Lagos and Aminu Kano International Airport to have some of these items. The aim is for these items not to find their way by any means back to the society. So the NSA is emphatic that these items must be destroyed, because these items, if allowed to get to the society, will pose a lot of health/ security risk to Nigerians, and by extension, national security risk.
“The destruction started a few weeks back from Lagos, phase one of Lagos, of which over 70 containers were destroyed. Phase two will continue subsequently because Lagos has over a hundred containers of these items. Today we are beginning with the destruction of the items here in Port Harcourt. Right now we have over 60 containers. So, the idea is to take these things out of the society so that Nigerians will be healthier and also their physical security will be enhanced.
“I am very satisfied because the multi-agency approach the NSA adopted is to show of the government’s approach towards curbing such illegalities. Additionally, the cooperation from the Lagos State Government and the people of Lagos State, as well as the Rivers State Government, have indicated the whole-of-society approach which is the mantra of the Federal Government of Nigeria towards curbing and fighting such illegalities in the country”.
