The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over unregistered pharmaceutical products valued at ₦5.8 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) following an interception in Sokoto State.
The products were intercepted along the Illela-Sokoto Road by patrol teams of the Customs Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command after receiving intelligence, according to a report by Punch on Thursday.
The Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Haliru Abdullahi, disclosed the development during a handover ceremony at the command headquarters in Sokoto on Wednesday.
He said the seized products had a total duty-paid value of ₦5,804,062.06. They comprised 360 packages of anti-cold medicines, 500 packages of amodiaquine, 140 packages of paracetamol and 100 packages of quinine.
Abdullahi said the importation of unregistered pharmaceutical products contravened Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and relevant NAFDAC regulations.
He warned individuals involved in the illegal movement of pharmaceutical products that the command would continue efforts to prevent unregistered medicines from entering circulation.
The Customs official also commended the patrol teams involved in the interception and acknowledged NAFDAC’s collaboration in tackling the movement of unregistered products.
NAFDAC’s Sokoto State Coordinator, AbduSalam Lawal, received the seized items on behalf of the agency and praised the Customs Service for its cooperation.
Lawal said collaboration between both agencies was important in preventing unregistered pharmaceutical products from reaching consumers. He added that NAFDAC would subject the seized items to the necessary regulatory processes and take appropriate action.
The seizure highlights ongoing enforcement efforts to regulate the movement of medicines and protect public health in Nigeria.
Unregistered medicines have not been verified through the applicable registration process, which is intended to assess products before they are marketed. However, the registration status alone does not establish that a particular product is counterfeit or has caused harm.
Consumers are advised to purchase medicines from legitimate pharmacies and other authorised outlets, check product registration details where possible, and consult qualified healthcare professionals when uncertain about a medicine’s suitability. NAFDAC’s investigation will determine the appropriate next steps for the seized products.
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