Reps Seek Legislative Support as Customs Deepens Fight Against Illicit Drugs
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking and the smuggling of prohibited pharmaceuticals, as the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Drugs and Illicit Trafficking called for deeper collaboration to strengthen enforcement nationwide.
The meeting took place on Tuesday, 23 February 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja, with Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Timi Bomodi, representing Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi. Bomodi highlighted the Service’s ongoing crackdown on narcotics and illegal pharmaceutical imports across land borders, airports, and seaports.
According to Bomodi, over the past year, Customs intercepted more than 200 forty-foot containers of illicit pharmaceuticals, many of which exceeded regulatory limits and were concealed as legitimate cargo.
“It is only left to the imagination what damage over 200 containers of such substances would have caused if allowed into society,” he said.
He also cited significant cocaine seizures, including 22 parcels intercepted at Seme Command and handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as well as over 1,000 kilograms seized at Lagos ports, some hidden in ship hull compartments.
Bomodi added that Customs has stepped up intelligence-driven enforcement, deployed advanced scanning technology, established specialised drug-detection units, and expanded capacity-building programmes to counter evolving criminal networks.
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“Across all our border posts, ports, airports and seaports, serious interventions are being made. We are mindful of the impact of this trade on our citizens, particularly our youth. That is why we do not compromise,” he said.
He further revealed that the Service has introduced mandatory drug testing for its personnel as part of a zero-tolerance policy and strengthened operational collaboration through memoranda of understanding with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the NDLEA to enhance intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement.
The Chairman of the House Committee, Timehin Adelegbe, commended Customs for its enforcement successes and clarified that the lawmakers’ visit was intended to foster partnership rather than conduct an investigation.
“We are not here for investigation; we are here on a courtesy call to collaborate and move ahead together,” Adelegbe said.
The committee, following a public hearing attended by over 300 organisations, plans to pursue legislative reforms on tobacco control, emerging nicotine products such as vape devices, bonded warehouse operations, and border management systems.
Adelegbe also announced plans for nationwide advocacy campaigns in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other states, emphasising the need for Customs’ active participation to ensure effective outreach and enforcement synergy.
The engagement underscores growing legislative recognition of the Nigeria Customs Service’s pivotal role in safeguarding national security, protecting public health, and dismantling transnational drug trafficking networks.
By PRNigeria
