NAFDAC Destroys Substandard Products Worth N43bn in Oyo State

From Olubunmi Osoteku

The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration, and Control (NAFDAC), says it has destroyed substandard products including falsified drugs, medical devices and other unwholesome regulated products, worth forty-three billion naira, (N43bn) in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The exercise, which was witnessed by security agencies and Oyo State Government representatives, among others, was carried out at the Moniya Dump Site, Lapite, in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

The Director General (DG) of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director Investigation and Enforcement, Pharm. Shabba Mohammed, said the counterfeited products were voluntarily handed over to the agency by compliant companies, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and Trade Unions.

Giving a breakdown of the seized counterfeited products, the DG disclosed that several raids were carried out at various locations which led to the seizure of several unregistered and registered pharmaceutical products, including confiscated products, such as aphrodisiacs, sex enhancement drugs, and Over The Counter (OTC) and Prescription Only Medicine (POM) drugs.

She stated, “Over thirty wares were seized in total. Products peddled by these drug hawkers including banned codeine substances, narcotic drugs, antimalarial, aphrodisiacs, analgesics, and antibiotics worth over forty eight million naira were confiscated.

“The agency gathered intelligence on illegal warehousing, sale and distribution of schedule 1 Narcotics by some pharmaceutical vendors in Lagos, and other local actions in the country,” Adeyeye revealed.

The DG said the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the agency raided some pharmaceutical warehouses and premises across the country to confiscate products worth over seven hundred million naira, noting that some other products for destruction are some of the products that were mopped up from circulation during the raids.

“These include illicit and unregistered pharmaceutical products such as Codeine syrup, expired Tramadol, aphrodisiacs, anti-malaria and many other drugs. Other products are contraband soaps, tomato paste, unregistered and counterfeit drinks, food products, perfumes and body spray,” she disclosed.

Professor Adeyeye, therefore, called on the public to join NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeit and fake drugs, unwholesome processed food and other NAFDAC regulated products by reporting unscrupulous manufacturers and businessmen who engage in illicit practices to the nearest NAFDAC office for prompt investigation.