Apapa Port Won’t Be Conduit for Security Threats - CGC Adeniyi

...As Apapa Customs Intercepts Narcotics, Drones, Expired Goods Worth ₦43.59bn

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has declared that Apapa Port will not be allowed to become a conduit for security threats, following the interception of 13 containers containing narcotics, codeine syrup, restricted drones, used clothing, and expired consumer products worth ₦43.59 bn.

Adeniyi made the declaration on Thursday, 10 September 2026, while briefing journalists at APM Terminals at Apapa Port. According to him, the seizures resulted from sustained intelligence-led operations, cargo profiling, documentary checks and targeted physical examinations conducted by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

He added that the Service had intensified collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and international security partners to strengthen enforcement at the nation’s ports.

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“The seaport is where several of those pieces meet. Narcotics, controlled pharmaceuticals, restricted equipment and unsafe goods arrive in the same containers, through the same agents, under the same false declarations, and they are frequently handled by the same syndicates,” he said.

The CGC disclosed that three containers were found to contain a combined 15,245 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624kg. Another container had 1,700 cartons with 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup concealed under household items. Officers also intercepted 108 high-definition dual-camera drones which arrived without appropriate security approvals and end-user certificates. 

He warned that restricted equipment must meet all documentation requirements before clearance, and the ports would not be used to channel security-sensitive equipment without certification. "Consignments of that character that arrive without them will be detained. The ports would not be allowed to become a route through which security-sensitive capabilities reach those working against the security of the country."

In addition, three containers carried 1,282 bales of used clothing, while five others were loaded with expired tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets and disposable nappies. Adeniyi warned that the importation of expired products for consumption or body use posed serious health risks, especially to children and women. He added that the seized items would be handed over to the relevant agencies for further investigation, while commending officers and men of Apapa Area Command NDLEA, NAFDAC and international partners for their cooperation.

The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the seizures demonstrated the command’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement and its responsibility to prevent prohibited and harmful goods from entering Nigeria. He also emphasised the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling illicit drug trafficking and other forms of smuggling, while assuring stakeholders that the command would continue to support legitimate trade.