The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Port Command, has sealed three bonded terminals with 27 laden containers impounded in it’s renewed efforts to curb sharp practices in the imports trade sector.
Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos, Thursday.
The Area Controller who attributed the development to his Command’s determination to combat smuggling and unwholesome trade practices at the nation’s foremost seaport, disclosed that one of the sealed terminals has already been charged to court, while investigations are ongoing into the activities of the remaining two.
According to him, the Command remains resolute in its commitment to sanitize the port environment and ensure strict adherence to customs regulations by terminal operators.
‘Let me use this opportunity to warn perpetrators of illegal acts that the Apapa Port Command is manned by eagle-eyed officers, fully activated to detect and seize uncustomed goods and arrest violators’, he warned.
He said the seizures of 27 containers laden with assorted contraband goods valued at N9.26 billion were intercepted between January and June 2025. The seizures included unregistered pharmaceuticals, codeine syrup, expired margarine, used clothing, stolen vehicles, and wild animal skins, among others.
Comptroller Olomu stressed that the Command will remain vigilant in its mandate to protect the Nigerian public from the dangers of illicit imports, particularly unregistered pharmaceuticals which pose a serious threat to public health.
To this end, he vowed that the Command will not allow the safety and well-being of Nigerians to be compromised in the guise of trade facilitation, adding that the interception of wild animal skins also points to the Command’s commitment to international protocols, as such items violate the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
Comptroller Olomu also used the occasion to give an analysis of the Command’s earlier announced N1.378 trillion revenue collection during the first half of the year. He stated that this represents a substantial contribution to the government coffers, when compared to the Command’s achievement during the corresponding period in 2024.
This, he said, demonstrates the Command’s efficiency in revenue generation despite the rigorous enforcement operations.
Speaking at the event, Babatunde Mukaila, a foremost licensed clearing agent and former Secretary of ANLCA, commended the Comptroller for the unprecedented improvement in customs-stakeholder relations under his leadership.
The clearing agent described the current level of engagement as “unprecedented in the history of the command” even as he praised the Controller for the transparent and accessible leadership style with which he administered the command.
‘The Apapa Command has now become a trusted partner for honest freight forwarders, the least we as stakeholders could do is to keep supporting the CAC in his good job’.
According to him, Apapa Port is the largest and most transparent port in the country, where clearing agents who wish to conduct clean, trouble-free business are guaranteed fair treatment.
He also lauded what he described as the recent digital improvements within the Command, particularly the platform that now allows importers to receive real-time updates on their transactions.
He however appealed for the inclusion of licensed customs agents in the feedback process, noting that while importers currently receive updates, their clearing agents are sometimes left unaware, a situation he said, could create communication gaps. He urged the Customs Service to address this challenge to further strengthen the digital platform and enhance trade predictability.
Mukaila also advised the Customs Service not to shy away from addressing the initial challenges that come with new digital platforms, saying such teething problems are normal and should be jointly addressed with stakeholders.
The Comptroller further acknowledged the critical role played by sister government agencies operating within the port. He said the robust intelligence sharing and joint consultations between the Customs Service and other security agencies have significantly frustrated criminal networks and enhanced national security. He stressed that the synergy will be further strengthened in the collective interest of the nation.
He assured stakeholders that the command will continue to facilitate legitimate trade while maintaining a zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and non-compliance.
