From Uche Usim
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has nabbed a huge haul of tramadol worth N8.6 billion at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The catch, made on 5 April 2025, shows their strong fight against smuggling.
Customs spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada shared this in a statement. He said the drugs were quickly passed to NDLEA Commandant CN Muhammad Jidda at the airport. Other security agencies watched as the handover happened for further investigation and prosecution. Comptroller Olumide Adebisi, Customs Area Controller for FCT Command, led the check on the hidden items.
Speaking to journalists, Adebisi slammed those sneaking illegal drugs into Nigeria under cover of trade. “It is deeply troubling that some unpatriotic elements are determined to flood our communities with dangerous drugs simply for profit, even if it costs lives,” he said.
He added, “These types of drugs often end up in the hands of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, Boko Haram fighters, and other criminal elements threatening the peace of our nation.”
The tramadol’s Duty Paid Value (DPV) was N8,654,800,000. Adebisi vowed to keep cracking down on smugglers in and beyond the FCT. He praised Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for vital support, boosting their enforcement work. “In line with the strong institutional synergy championed by the Comptroller-General, we have secured approval to transfer the seized items to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),” he noted.
NDLEA’s Commandant Jidda, while receiving the drugs, hailed Customs’ sharp eyes and teamwork. “What we’re witnessing today is a model example of inter-agency cooperation,” he said. “We sincerely commend the Nigeria Customs Service for their alertness and their refusal to allow Nigeria to become a dumping ground for psychotropic substances. The tramadol you see here would have caused incalculable harm to communities had it found its way to the streets.”
Jidda promised a deep probe to track the drugs’ source and target. He also confirmed NDLEA’s readiness to prosecute those behind it, following the law. This seizure adds to the rising tally of joint NCS-NDLEA operations as Nigeria steps up its battle against drug trafficking and its links to insecurity.