Comptroller Gambo Aliyu Receives NAFDAC Delegation on Courtesy Visit

ZAINAB JUNAID

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Area Command, on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, received Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on courtesy visit, aimed at strengthening existing partnership to safeguard public health and enhance national security.

The delegation, led by NAFDAC Zonal Coordinator (South-West Zone), Dr. (Pharm.) Isaac Kolawole was welcomed by Customs Area Controller, Oyo/Osun Area Command, Comptroller Gambo Iyere Aliyu, at the Command’s Operational Headquarters in Ibadan.

During their engagement, the Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Kolawole expressed gratitude for the warm reception accorded to his delegation by the Customs Area Controller and principal Officers of the Command.

He commended the Service for its pivotal role in national security, particularly in protecting citizens from the consumption of unwholesome food items, counterfeit pharmaceutical products, and other unsafe goods detrimental to public health and safety.

Dr. Kolawole enlightened Officers of the Command on NAFDAC’s ongoing automation process for the detection of unregistered and registered pharmaceutical products and verification of approved items through a digital platform known as the “Green Book.”

He explained that the Green Book serves as an authoritative record of registered and unregistered products aimed at enhancing transparency, traceability, and regulatory efficiency.

The NAFDAC Zonal Coordinator further described the visit as strategic, aiming to deepen inter-agency collaboration and strengthen ties between NAFDAC and NCS to protect Nigerians’ health and safety.

In response, the Customs Area Controller; Oyo/Osun Area Command; Comptroller Gambo Iyere Aliyu lauded NAFDAC for its critical role in curbing the menace of fake drugs and ensuring the safety of consumable goods in the country.

He underscored the link between illicit drugs and security challenges such as banditry, terrorism, and other forms of criminality, emphasising their threats to Nigeria’s peace, health, and economic stability.

The Area Controller further labeled individuals involved in importing and rebranding of expired or substandard products as economic saboteurs, emphasising the danger they pose to public health and national economic growth.

Comptroller Gambo reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to working with NAFDAC and other agencies to secure Nigeria’s borders, protect public health, and promote national prosperity.