Chukwu Obinna 
KANO, Nigeria – Nigerian customs officials have intercepted contraband worth ₦1.1 billion, including millions of suspected counterfeit pharmaceutical capsules, foreign currencies, precious metals and wildlife during enforcement operations in Kano and Jigawa states.
Deputy Comptroller Usman Umar-Adamu, Acting Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service Kano/Jigawa Command, announces the seizures during his first press briefing at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano, on Tuesday.
The largest seizure involves 503 master cartons of Pregabalin 300mg capsules, equivalent to more than 15 million tablets, intercepted at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and valued at ₦729.9 million.
Officials suspect the drugs are counterfeit and unregistered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Foreign currencies are also intercepted at the airport, including $106,500, 134,256 Saudi riyals, 28 Chinese yuan and 20 Ghanaian cedis recovered from a passenger.
Customs officers also seize silver bars weighing more than 35 kilograms from vehicles and passenger luggage along the Kano–Hadejia and Maiduguri highways. Authorities transfer the metals, suspects and currencies to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation.
In Jigawa’s Babura axis, officers intercept 35 bales of second-hand clothing and 10 kegs of foreign vegetable oil, swhile 1,447 used tyres are seized along Kano’s Eastern Bypass.
Among the unusual discoveries, officers rescue a live lion cub and pangolins, later handed to environmental authorities.
NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Director Martins Iluyomade, commends the Custom Service for preventing dangerous medicines from reaching the public.
“The recovery of more than 15 million Pregabalin capsules has spared Nigerians exposure to potentially dangerous unregulated medicines,” he says.
Officials say the seizures undercore intensified efforts to combat smuggling networks across northern Nigeria’s trade corridorss.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
Korede Abdullah 