…Vows tougher crackdown …DG urges Nigerians to shun quacks, illicit dealers
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Thursday destroyed fake, expired, substandard and falsified medical products, unwholesome foods and other regulated items valued at ₦55.4 billion in a decisive move to protect public health and safety. The general destruction exercise, held at the Moniya Dumpsite, Ibadan, was flagged off by the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Christiana Mojisola Adeyeye, who reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to rid Nigeria of dangerous and illicit products. Adeyeye was represented by the Deputy Director in charge of the Pharmaceutical Division, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Lagos, Pharm. Florence Ubah. The DG said the exercise was part of NAFDAC’s statutory mandate and a routine strategy to prevent expired, substandard and falsified (SF) medical products and other unsafe items from finding their way back into the market. “NAFDAC has been charged with the responsibility of safeguarding the health of every Nigerian. We are committed to eliminating substandard and falsified medical products, illicit drugs, unwholesome foods, unsafe cosmetics, chemicals and medical devices,” she said. According to her, the items destroyed comprised substandard and falsified medicines, unwholesome processed foods and additives, unsafe cosmetics, counterfeits and expired regulated products seized from manufacturers, importers and distributors across the country. She disclosed that the haul also included damaged and expired products voluntarily handed over by more than 70 compliant companies, non-governmental organisations and trade unions, a gesture she described as commendable and supportive of national regulatory efforts. NAFDAC estimated the street value of the destroyed items at ₦55,436,844,470, underscoring the scale of the illegal trade and the potential danger averted. The Director General commended sister security and regulatory agencies for their collaboration, including the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, NDLEA, NSCDC and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria. She called on religious and community leaders, health professionals and the media to intensify public enlightenment on the dangers of patronising quacks and unauthorised medicine and food dealers. “This fight is a collective responsibility. Together, we can protect the health and safety of all Nigerians,” Adeyeye said. The destruction exercise sends a strong signal of government’s renewed commitment to combating fake and unsafe products, as NAFDAC intensifies surveillance and enforcement nationwide.
