The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake and expired products worth over N16 billion in Sagamu, Ogun State. The products included sub-standard and falsified medical products, unwholesome processed food additives, unsafe cosmetics and counterfeits, and other NAFDAC-regulated products.
The destruction exercise took place on Thursday at the Oke-Diya dumpsite, where the agency’s director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye, said it was part of NAFDAC’s renewed efforts to rid the country of unwholesome regulated products to safeguard the populace’s health.
Ms. Adeyeye, who was represented by the agency’s director of investigation and enforcement, Francis Ononiwu, said some of the products were seized from manufacturers, importers, and distributors, while others were voluntarily handed over to the agency by compliant companies, trade unions, and non-governmental organizations.
She also said the agency had carried out about 50 raids against hawkers of drugs across the nation since the beginning of the year, resulting in 66 arrests and the confiscation of products worth N8 million. She recalled the recent arrest of one Sunday Chibuike, who was charged to court by the agency for producing unregistered alcoholic beverages laced with marijuana and other harmful ingredients.
The NAFDAC boss appealed to Nigerians to shun drug peddlers on the streets and patronize registered medicine stores. She also commended the judiciary for its continued support and advocated stiffer sanctions to check the menace of counterfeiting. She urged the National Assembly to speedily pass the Counterfeit Medical Products Bill to strengthen the agency’s fight against counterfeiting.