The Comptroller who disclosed this on the occasion of the handover of about 25 containers of seized fake, substandard and expired pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and control (NAFDAC) said the measure became necessary to check abuse of the process.

According to him, ” we have reviewed our policy of allowing bonded terminals to be used for release of pharmaceutical products.
Henceforth, pharmaceutical products will not be allowed to be sent into any of those bonded terminals. To enhance the effective implementation of this policy, we will insist that any pharmaceutical products must be cleared, duties must be paid, inspection must be done at the border ports. We will no longer allow sending them down to the up north facilities. We can allow any other thing but because of the sensitive nature of pharmaceutical products and because of the abuse to which this process have been subjected in the past, they will only be allowed to be cleared in these ports designated places”

He listed the designated places as Apapa port, TinCan, Airport, and Onne port

The CGC equally disclosed that the process of issue of licenses to bonded terminals will be reviewed, while also doing a post audit on the activities of the bonded terminals, stressing that any bonded terminals found culpable in illegal deals will have its license revoked.

Adeniyi said the Value of the seized containers were worth over N9.2 billion.

The Customs CEO maintained that his recent election to the exalted position of Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) is a clear validation that the Nigeria Customs Service is right on course in its modernization journey, and a testament to the dedication commitment and resilience of officers and men of the Service in the adoption and implementation of international best practices.

While insisting his election as a humbling experience, Adeniyi revealed ” the journey started at the level of the West and Central African region which had only 23 members, and at our regional meeting, I was unanimously proposed and eventually nominated as the sole candidate for the region. But quickly following on the heel of that, other regions also conveyed their decision to adopt me as the sole candidate.
I think four sub-regions did that before we got to Brussels for the Council meeting, and the council election was to hold on the last day and words came to me that during the four day meeting, that is, the day before the election itself that the EU, Europe sub-region had also confirmed me, leaving only one region by Saturday morning, and by Saturday morning the candidate from Asia-Pacific we also understood have stepped down leaving the road clear for me as the sole candidate.”

What this means, he noted, is ” that the global customs community have been noticing what is going on in Nigeria and have endorsed the reforms that we have been undertaking.. The modernization that we have undertaken; more importantly, the operational use that we have made of the various WCO tools and instruments. Tools like advanced ruling, authorized economic operator, and the TRS to measure the time and cost of doing business ”
He appreciated the international community, the business community in Nigeria, the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs who have welcomed the reforms with open hands and ensured the implementation of those reforms.

He further maintained the we are on course but we are not there yet.
It means that global best practices that apply in advanced countries, on advanced Customs services will be a model for us that we must aspire to all the time.