Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt
The Nigerian Customs Service in collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser on Wednesday destroyed about sixty containers containing banned products especially illicit drugs worth over one hundreds billion naira, illegally imported into the country.
The items which incepted at the Customs Area 2 Command, Onne Port, were destroyed and burnt at the Rivers State Waste Management (RIWAMA) dump site along the Port Harcourt Airport Road, in the state.
Assistant Controller General of Customs from the Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation Department of the Nigerian Customs Service, Timi Bomodi, told newsmen that the destruction was a joint operation 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 explained that, “A committee that was set up by the National Security Adviser comprising all other regulatory agencies. It’s a multi -agency committee and it is a national assignment that covers these imports from across the country.
“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 sixty 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 of favour.
“This is sending a clear message to all those that are engaged in this kind of practice that they should desist”.
Continuing, Bomodi lamented 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.
“Because 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 behavior.
“These containers have been arrested over time by both officers of Nigerian customs service and other agencies. We have the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the National Drug, Law Enforcement Agency, as you must know these agencies work together at the port to ensure that there are no breaches in the security architecture of the country especially regards to imports.
“So it is a joint exercise and of course the Office of the National Security Adviser who is coordinating this exercise to ensure that we do a thorough job in regards to evacuation, isolation and destruction”.
The AGC disclosed that some arrests have been made, and warned against the importation of illegal pharmaceuticals.
He vowed that the committee will stop at nothing to bring anyone found wanting to book.
“There were arrests, there are still investigations going on, so I can’t give you a definite figure as to 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.
“We ask them to cease and desist. It is not the business that will be profitable to them. And of course, the long arm of the law will definitely catch up with them. As you’ve seen, no matter what methods they decide to employ, no matter what strategy they decide to employ, because all agencies are now working in synergy, there’s definitely a brick wall they are going to encounter and they will not succeed and we’re telling them Just stop this business because the waste of time the waste of everybody’s time, waste of money.
“And of course they are going to pay the ultimate price for it, if they are arrested”.
On his part, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu represented by Commodore Kelechi Ogbonna, while expressing satisfaction with the job done so far, explained that the goal of the exercise was to ensure the products do not get into society.
He said “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 enhancer for the perpetuation of such nefarious activities as banditry and other terrorist activities.
“So, the committee swung into action immediately and identified Apapa Port, Tinkan 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 in 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 in 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 the physical security will be enhanced.
“Yes, I am very satisfied because the multi -agency approach with the NSA adopted is to show all 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 River State Government has indicated that all of society’s approach which is the mantra of the Federal Government of Nigeria towards curbing and fighting such illegalities in the country” is best.
