NCS hands over N1.7b worth of seized fake drugs to NAFDAC

• Mourns personnel killed in Katsina mob attack
The Oyo/Osun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 53 seized sacks of fake pharmaceutical drugs worth N1.7 billion to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for destruction and further investigations.

Speaking during the handover at the Customs office in Ibadan, the Area Controller, Ben Oramalugo, said if the fake drugs had made their way into the public, they would have caused more harm to the health of Nigerians, particularly to those who would purchase and consume them, unaware of their falsified nature.

He explained that the Augmentin Tablets (625mg) were packed in seven sacks, while 22 sacks of Ampiclox Capules and 24 sacks of Amoxycillin Capsules (500mg) were also concealed.

Oramalugo noted that the DPV of Diazepam Tablet was put at N20,000, while the DPV of the Tramadol was N1 million.

He said the unit also seized other items against the extant Customs laws worth N299.6 million for the period of March to April 16.

The fake drugs that were handed over to NAFDAC, were in five categories – augmentin tablets, ampoclox and amoxycillin capsules, as well as Diazepam tablet, and Tramadol.

According to him, the seizures are a reflection of the unit’s commitment to tackling smuggling activities, which pose a serious threat to national security and economic stability.

Receiving the products, the Director, South West Zonal office of NAFDAC, Roseline Ajayi, said the agency is uncertain if the products are already in circulation, noting that the drugs carried fake NAFDAC registration numbers.

According to her, the drugs would be subjected to laboratory analysis to ascertain their potency.

She promised that the agency will investigate the issue so as to apprehend the importers of such products harmful to public health and thereafter, would be destroyed.

MEANWHILE, NCS has identified Customs Assistant ll Auwal Haruna as its personnel killed in a mob attack on Wednesday morning in Katsina State.

Haruna lost his life after a group of travelers descended on him for shooting one of the passengers in an articulated vehicle which they were being ferried in.

The vehicle, loaded with passengers and goods was said to have been ordered to stop by Customs personnel, but the driver initially refused to comply, an action which led to the shooting incident.

The injured passenger, Bashir Na-Bunzawa, 27, a resident of Unguwar Zanguna in the state metropolitan area, later succumbed to his injury at the hospital and died.

NCS in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, on behalf of the Comptroller General of Customs, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death.

It, however, said despite the incident, the NCS remains steadfast in its efforts to combat illegal activities such as smuggling and prioritising Nigeria’s border integrity.