The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted 16 containers of counterfeit and substandard products, valued at an estimated N20.5 billion, at Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The seizure, comprising 11 containers of unregistered and banned pharmaceuticals and four containers of unwholesome tomato paste, was handed over to NAFDAC by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Saturday, August 2, 2025, in a significant blow to illicit trade networks.
The confiscated items include 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup, a highly controlled prescription drug prone to abuse, 12.6 million tablets of tramadol, an addictive painkiller, and 9.3 million tablets of falsified diclofenac, used for treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Additionally, 280 packages of fake Hyergra tablets for erectile dysfunction and other unregistered drugs were seized, alongside substandard tomato paste concealed among legitimate goods like ceiling fans and plumbing materials.
NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, revealed that the smugglers employed sophisticated tactics to evade detection, mislabeling the contraband to bypass port authorities.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the NCS for their collaboration, emphasizing the agency’s zero-tolerance policy for substandard goods.
“These products pose severe risks, from addiction to organ damage and increased cancer risks,” she warned, noting that all seized items will undergo laboratory analysis before destruction in line with international standards.
Adeyeye also disclosed recent death threats and kidnapping attempts against NAFDAC staff, vowing that such intimidation would not deter the agency’s mission.
“God and the Nigerian people are on our side,” she declared.
The handover, led by NCS Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, underscores a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies to combat smuggling.
Comptroller Muhammed Babandede of the Port Harcourt II Area Command highlighted the role of intelligence-sharing with agencies like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) in the operation’s success.
“This seizure sends a clear message to criminal networks: we maintain zero tolerance for smuggling,” Adeniyi stated.
NAFDAC urged Nigerians to report suspected counterfeit products through its offices or social media channels, stressing that public health protection is a collective responsibility.
The seizure follows a similar operation at Apapa Port last week, where 25 containers of substandard medical devices were intercepted, signaling heightened efforts to secure Nigeria’s borders against harmful imports.
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