NCS Seme Command, NAFDAC Destroy N102m Seized Medicaments
The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has destroyed expired seized medicament and other items that were deposited in its government warehouse.
The Customs Area Controller Mohammed Aliyu in a chat with newsmen disclosed that the expired and hazardous medicament seized and had been destroyed, had a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N102,488,300.
The controller said the destruction exercise was carried out in company of the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye and Director Ports Inspection Directorate, Prof Samson Adebayo.
He noted that the destruction exercise was in compliance with the service extant laws where the relevant agencies like NAFDAC, NDLEA and SON were principal witness.
According to him, “Some of the medicaments destroyed include: Tramadol caps and tabs, Codeine, Diazepam tabs, Analgen injection, Medik- 55 paracetamol with caffeine, Mosquito coils, Dexamethasone tabs,expired rice, expired fertiliser and expired seasoning among others.”
The Commands helmsman further stated that he will continue to implement government’s policies of seizing and handing over to the relevant agencies such as NDLEA dangerous and illicit drugs that are smuggled through the land border.
He warned drug traffickers to keep off from Seme border route as any attempt to smuggle such will be discovered by the eagle eyes of the enforcement team.
Aliyu, had recently restated his commitment in combating and confronting the hydra headed monster of smuggling head long that has assume a threatening dimension to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
He reassured genuine stakeholders that they had no course to fear unless the non-compliant ones that have skeleton in their cupboard.
Highlighting further, the professional investigator who combined his investigative skill with enforcement experience to achieve the unprecedented feat restated his uncompromising stand in order not to drag his heard earned reputation and integrity to the mud.
Aliyu insisted that he cannot stop seizing contrabands and non-compliant goods that refuse to adhere to the law of the land thereby undermining the policies of the federal government of Nigeria that the Nigeria Customs Service stand to enforce at the border.
He disclosed that the command seized over six hundred (600x50kg) bags of rice with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N10 million on the 26th of March, 2018 after destroying a total of over 2800x50kg bags of expired rice the same day with a total DPV of over forty nine (49) million naira. Another seized truck with Reg. No XE-634-MUS disguised to be empty was arrested based on intelligence and discovered to be carrying about 1514 cartons of imported Tin-tomato with a DPV of N8,175,600.00 on the 24th March 2018.
Commenting on the daily seizures that has become a recurring decimal and a routine in the command, the Customs Area Controller said that a visit to the warehouse of the command which is almost filled up to the bream attest to the fact that the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command is not resting in its oars and responsibility of generating revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, suppression of smuggling and protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria through due diligence in the use of the effective and operational fixed scanner machine at the border command.
Restating his resolute stand, he noted that he was not ready to shy away from his responsibility as far as deliberate perpetrators remain recalcitrant violators of the federal government policies.
Aliyu warned that seizure will continue to be the hall mark of the command and his enforcement officers will continue to do the needful against the unrepentant smugglers.
He stressed that all his achievements is attributed to the mutual consultation and cooperation with the host communities who do share intelligence with the Command, and the cooperation of the sister security agencies who synergize and collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service for effective border management.
Aliyu disabused the mind of the public who are quick to mention Seme border to any incident of smuggling seen along Lagos metropolis.