In Sokoto on Wednesday, the Nigerian Customs Service and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control set a large amount of counterfeit goods that were certified unfit for human consumption on fire.
The Sokoto/Zamfara Controller of Customs, Musa Omale, claims that this is in keeping with the agency’s mandate to suppress smuggling.
Items that were seized and determined by the NAFDAC to be unfit for human consumption were destroyed by the Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command.
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Government officials, as well as leaders of other security agencies like the Nigerian Army, NSCDC, and Nigerian Police, witnessed the destruction that occurred at the Kwanawa dumping site in Sokoto State.
“Section 245 of NCS Act 2023 empowers the Service to seize goods that contravene Customs and Excise Laws and be disposed in such a manner the Service directs,” said Omale, the Controller of Customs, in his welcome speech.
As it stands today, item destruction is only used as a last resort for disposal. These are illegal goods that have been smuggled in without registration after being declared unfit for human consumption by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
The controller went on to caution the smugglers to stop their actions, stating that they are harmful to Nigerians’ health as well as the nation’s economy and development.
He also gave everyone the assurance that, in their capacity as the country’s border guardians, the service would not back down from its efforts to make sure that products that are harmful to the economy and unfit for human consumption never see the light of day.
Destroyed goods include unregistered tomato paste, condensed milk, ginger tea, Maggi, alfakher shisha, and other items.
Garba Adamu, the Sokoto State Coordinator of NAFDAC, praised customs officers for helping NAFDAC combat unregistered food items and drugs.
“Any food items or drugs that are deemed unfit for human consumption as their quality and safety are not guaranteed,” the speaker declared, failing to pass NAFDAC scrutiny, registration, or approval.