*** As NAFDAC Director Commends Apapa Customs for Uncompromising Stance
The Customs Area Controller of Apapa Port Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi has reiterated that the Command will always be ahead of smugglers by always deploying intelligence with uncompromising enforcement to prevent prohibited items from being brought into the country.
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Comptroller Olomu, who said this on Monday, August 18, when he received Dr. Martin Iluyomade fsi, Director, Inspection and Enforcement Directorate of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), disclosed that renewed antics by smugglers to use fake registration numbers and false declarations have always failed.
He told the visiting Director, who doubles as Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Fake, Substandard Drugs and Unwholesome Food that Apapa Command is very committed to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the Comptroller-General of Customs and the Director General of NAFDAC aimed at preventing smuggling of items under the agency’s regulatory purview.
While urging NAFDAC to expedite action in evacuating handed over containers from the port , the Area Controller assured that efforts will be sustained to achieve arrest of suspects and hand them over with the seizures.
The CAC added that arresting the persons involved in the acts is a major step to demobilize the human element influence in the smuggling supply chain cycle and deter others from such illegal activities.
He also disclosed that officers under his watch have joined the CGC in imbibing zero tolerance for smuggling and will do the needful to avoid situations where our laws are circumvented for the lives of Nigerians to be endangered by what they eat, drink or by the use of arms and ammunition brought into the country illegally.
According to him, a recent seizure of 32 containers that attracted the presence of the CGC who personally supervised their handing over to NAFDAC attests to the smooth working relationship between both organisations and justifying their recently signed MoU.
Iluyomade commended Comptroller Olomu for being uncompromising and making what he called Life Saving Seizures. He said, “You can kill one or two persons with guns, but you can kill a whole nation with fake drugs, unwholesome food, and harmful medicine. It’s like those importing it are declaring war on the citizens of this country. ”
While describing Olomu as the best Controller Apapa command ever had, he recalled starting his career as a young employee of NAFDAC many years ago and confirmed that customs anti smuggling efforts have evolved for the better.
Iluyomade added that awards of best command given to Apapa Area under Olomu were truly earned and very deserving. He also sought support to secure handed over containers from being pilfered ahead of NAFDAC evacuation.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SC JT Ayabalo.
