NAFDAC Draws Battle-Lines With Drug Counterfeiters 

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has  said there is no hiding place for criminals who circulate  expired and falsified drugs and food products that are inimical to public health across the country.

She spoke weekend  when her agency  destroyed counterfeit drugs and vaccines, cosmetics, and expired food items worth over N2 billion in line with its  strategy aimed at eradicating fake drugs and other spurious regulated products from circulation in the country.

 The exercise took place in Kano and Awka in Anambra State; when the operatives of the NAFDAC combed the nooks and crannies of three geo-political zones of the federation- the North West, South East and the South-South to mop up expired drugs and unwholesome food products.

While counterfeit drugs and spurious food products worth over N1.4billion seized from both the South East and South-South zones were destroyed in Awka, Anambra State, similar dangerous drugs, and unwholesome food items worth N613m were destroyed at the Kalebawa dumpsite along Kazaure-Daura road, Dambatta, Kano.

Represented by Barrister Kingsley Ejiofor, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement in the Agency, Prof. Adeyeye disclosed  that the fake products were seized by the operatives of the agency during various operations in the zones.

Prof. Adeyeye listed the products to include: substandard,  falsely labelled medicines, unwholesome processed food products and cosmetics seized from manufacturers, distributors, and importers.

She added that the expired drugs were handed over voluntarily by complaint companies, Non-Governmental Organisations, Trade Unions, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria PSN and National Association of Proprietary and Patent Medicines Dealers NAPPMED.

She said others were those confiscated by Customs Service but violated, unregistered drugs, improperly stored vaccines, and tramadol, adding that the list also included Rohypinol intercepted on Benin-Asaba Expressway and other fake medicinal products intercepted at different times.

‘’The estimated value of the products destroyed in Kano is N613,300,290.00 while fake products worth N1,429,580,683.00 were destroyed in Awka, Anambra State, totalling N2,042,880,973.00,” she said.

According to her, the products include drugs such as antibiotics, antihypertensive, antimalarial, herbal remedies, psychoactive, controlled substance.

She added:‘’Food products such as spaghetti, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, Chocolates, Noodles, etc. were also destroyed as well as cosmetics such as creams, pomade, and insecticides’’