The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has revealed alarming details about drug traffickers recruiting customs officers and bonded terminal officials to bypass security checks.
This disclosure follows the interception of a substantial consignment of illicit drugs by the NCS Tincan Island Port Command.
The seized shipment, which included 1,072 kg of Cannabis Indica from Canada and India, was showcased to the media during a press briefing over the weekend.
Adeniyi emphasized the seriousness of the offense, stating that those involved would face stringent legal repercussions.
“We are committed to identifying and rooting out corrupt elements within and outside the service who facilitate the movement of drug consignments without proper examination,” Adeniyi said. He highlighted the seizure, estimated to be worth approximately N4.2 billion, as evidence of the NCS’s intensified efforts to scrutinize and eliminate “unscrupulous customs officers” collaborating with bonded terminal operators to expedite the clearance of drug shipments.
Adeniyi outlined the syndicate’s modus operandi, which involves diverting imported containers from the port to private premises without proper examination, instead of bonded warehouses. He assured that the NCS would soon “name, shame, and arrest those involved” in these illegal activities.
Acknowledging the role of collaborative efforts, Adeniyi praised the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other sister agencies for their support in combating drug trafficking. He reiterated the NCS’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the service and ensuring that corrupt officials are brought to justice.
