The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday commenced the destruction of counterfeit, expired, banned, and unwholesome pharmaceutical products and consumables valued at over ₦15 billion.
The exercise, which took place at the Moniya dumpsite in Ibadan, Oyo State, was attended by top security agencies and regulatory bodies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Association of Community Pharmacists, and others.
Reading the speech of the Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, said the move was part of NAFDAC’s renewed drive to rid the country of dangerous and substandard products.
According to Adeyeye, the products marked for destruction included Analgin, Cocodamol, codeine cough syrups, tramadol, oxytocin, falsified vaccines, and other unregistered or counterfeit medicines. The street value of the destroyed items was put at ₦15 billion.
She revealed that in recent enforcement actions, NAFDAC intercepted a consignment disguised as diclofenac which, upon inspection, turned out to be anti-malaria drugs worth millions of naira. Similarly, raids uncovered factories illegally producing cosmetic products within a military barracks in Lagos, while additional contraband was seized across the country.
Adeyeye commended the Nigeria Customs Service for handing over 25 containers of pharmaceutical products, including tramadol, artesunate injection, and codeine-based syrups, alongside prohibited frozen chicken, all of which were destroyed at the ceremony.
“We are resolutely committed to ensuring that food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water, and beverages consumed in Nigeria are safe, wholesome, and effective,” the DG declared. “The destruction of these products eliminates the risk of their re-entry into circulation.”
The Oyo State Director of NAFDAC, Mr. Samuel Adeyemi, also stressed the agency’s zero tolerance for substandard and unregulated products. He urged members of the public to report suspicious products or dealers, adding: “If you see something, say something.”
Prof. Adeyeye further called on Nigerians, particularly community leaders, health practitioners, religious leaders, and the media, to intensify public awareness about the dangers of patronising quacks and unauthorized medicine vendors.
“Together, we can protect the health and safety of all Nigerians,” she said.
 on Thursday commenced the destruction of counterfeit, expired, banned, and unwholesome pharmaceutical products and consumables valued at over ₦15 billion.){kind=link}