NAFDAC DESTROYS N15BN FAKE, EXPIRED DRUGS
Read Time:2 Minute, 15 Second
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has annihilated unfit, inferior, counterfeit, and outdated products valued at N15 billion at the Moniya landfill in Ibadan, Oyo State.
During the destruction event on Wednesday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the initiative aimed to eradicate the potential risk of such hazardous products re-entering the Nigerian market and jeopardizing public health.
Represented by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Adeyeye clarified that the obliterated items comprised counterfeit, expired, controlled, unregistered, and prohibited medications and medical products.
She noted that other obliterated products included Analgin, Co-codamol, codeine-infused cough syrups, Tramadol, Oxytocin, and various expired vaccines, all of which posed significant health hazards if ingested or circulated.
She disclosed that the estimated street value of the destroyed products exceeded N15 billion, highlighting the magnitude and severity of illegal pharmaceutical operations in Nigeria.
Adeyeye mentioned a recent seizure involving a container fraudulently labeled as diclofenac but filled with anti-malaria medications, containing 277 cartons with over 100,000 tablets, which were smuggled in and intercepted by NAFDAC officers.
She added that the individual associated with the shipment had been apprehended and would undergo legal prosecution to deter other illicit drug importers and distributors.
READ ALSO:
“NAFDAC also discovered and confiscated a wide range of illegally manufactured cosmetics and packaging materials during a raid on a military barracks in Lagos,” she further revealed.
Some of the destroyed items, she indicated, were confiscated during recent nationwide raids targeting black-market drug vendors, counterfeiters, and unlicensed medication dealers operating without regulation or oversight.
Adeyeye urged community leaders, health practitioners, religious figures, and journalists to enlighten the public on the hazards of patronizing unlicensed drug sellers and unregistered pharmaceutical establishments.
She appealed for public involvement in the fight against inferior products, urging Nigerians to report suspicious drug activities to aid in protecting lives and reinforcing the nation’s regulatory system.
According to her, public vigilance and collaboration are essential in ensuring that fraudulent, perilous, and illegal health products are excluded from the streets and homes in Nigeria.
She expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for delivering more than 25 apprehended 40-foot containers of prohibited items, including Tramadol, Artesunate injections, and frozen poultry.
“These prohibited products are part of what we are destroying today, and their removal marks another victory in the battle against violative and harmful substances,” she stated.
She also acknowledged the robust support from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, DSS, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), and other stakeholders for their contributions in advancing NAFDAC’s mission.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0