The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has concluded enforcement operations across three major markets in Nigeria, leading to the evacuation of 100 truckloads of substandard, falsified, expired, and banned medicines, including narcotics.
The targeted raids were carried out in Idumota (Lagos), Onitsha (Anambra), and Aba (Abia), in a sweeping crackdown aimed at protecting public health from the dangers of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, reports The Guardian.
Speaking on the operation, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said that over 100 40-foot truckloads were evacuated with 27 truckloads from Idumota, already destroyed. In comparison, about 80 40-foot truckloads of unregistered, banned medicines and narcotics were seized and evacuated from both the Aba and Onitsha markets.
Adeyeye emphasised that the operation is a warning to unscrupulous dealers that NAFDAC will not relent in its fight against counterfeit drugs.
According to the Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC, Kingsley Ejiofor, the agency’s actions were a result of intensive intelligence gathering and surveillance. “We conducted thorough investigations and identified these locations as key distribution hubs for illicit medicines. The removal of these drugs is a significant achievement in our ongoing regulatory efforts,” he noted.
Ejiofor also highlighted the risks associated with the circulation of banned and expired medicines, stressing that such products could lead to treatment failures, severe health complications, and even death.
The agency assured that enforcement exercises will continue across the country to prevent the recurrence of illegal drug distribution. The agency also called for stronger collaboration with stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector, urging manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply with regulatory standards to ensure the safety and well-being of Nigerians.
