Unregistered tomato paste, condensed milk, Al Fakher shisha, ginger tea and maggi were among smuggled counterfeit items burnt by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Sokoto, northwest Nigeria on Wednesday.
The burning of the seized items, according to the Customs Area Controller, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, Musa Omale, was in line with the NCS’ mandate of suppressing smuggling.
The destruction of the items, which took place at Kwanawa dumping site in Sokoto State, was witnessed by heads of other security agencies.
“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.
“Disposal of items by destruction as we witness today is carried out as a last resort. These are unregistered smuggled items that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control certified to be unfit for human consumption,” Omale said, even as he warned smugglers to desist from their trade.
The Coordinator of NAFDAC in Sokoto State, Garba Adamu, commended Customs officers for assisting NAFDAC in the fight against unregistered food items and drugs.
“Any food items or drugs that did not pass through NAFDAC scrutiny, registration and approval are deemed to be unfit for human consumption as their quality and safety are not guaranteed,” Adamu said.
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