The Adamawa and Taraba States Command of the Nigerian Customs Service has confiscated petroleum products, donkey skins, Tramadol drugs, and foreign soaps valued at over N112.5 million.
This development comes as part of the Command’s intensified efforts to combat smuggling activities.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the command headquarters in Yola, Comptroller Garba Bashir stated that the seizures were made along Nigeria’s border with the Republic of Cameroon.
“It will interest you to know that the Command had recorded twenty-nine (29) instances of seizures with an aggregate Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Hundred and Twelve Million, Five Hundred and Ninety Thousand, zero kobo (N112,590,000.00),” he said.
He disclosed that the seizures occurred over a period of six weeks.
“The seized items include 20,600 litres of PMS (popularly known as petrol) packed in 824 Jerry cans of 25 litres capacity each, 91 cartons of expired 50mg capsules of tramadol, 54 cartons of foreign soaps, and 64 pieces of complete donkey skin intended to be smuggled out of the country,” he added.
Bashir explained that the duties of the Nigerian Customs Service go beyond revenue generation to include protecting citizens’ health, national security, and the economy.
He noted that the 91 cartons of expired Tramadol capsules were intercepted by the enforcement unit of the Command on Saturday, 30th August 2025, in Mubi, Adamawa State, following coordinated and intelligence-led operations.
“God forbid, if these expired tramadol capsules were not withdrawn from circulation and are taken by innocent Nigerians, it could lead to high morbidity and mortality, human capital deterioration and unfair market competition.
“Additionally, the proliferation of these substances ignites drug abuse among youth, giving room for increased rates of violent crimes, aggression and social unrest,” he said.
He emphasised that the interception of expired and counterfeit products serves as a vital step in curbing organised crime, dismantling smuggling networks, and preventing the spread of harmful substances.
“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is estimated that over one million people globally die each year from consuming substandard or falsified medical products, with Africa bearing the most considerable impact.
“These expired substances were seized in accordance with section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and they shall be handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),” he stated.
Regarding the 64 complete raw donkey skins, he revealed that they were seized last month at the Damare River bank in Adamawa State by the Command’s enforcement unit.
He added, “The 64 seized complete raw donkey skins are translated into the killing of 64 donkeys. If this illicit slaughter and exportation of animal skin are not curtailed, donkeys and their likes will go into extinction.”
Bashir further stated that operatives of the Command also intercepted 54 cartons of foreign soaps along the Damare River bank in October 2025.
He mentioned that the seized petroleum products would be auctioned to the public, with the proceeds paid into the federation account.
The expired drugs, he said, were handed over to the representative of NAFDAC, Pharmacist Gonzuk Bedima, for destruction.
This operation, he noted, directly addresses the issue of wildlife trafficking.
He concluded that the seized items represent a triple threat to the nation: economic sabotage (petroleum and foreign soaps), public health danger (expired drugs), and environmental or wildlife harm (donkey skins).
