The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed off 11,000 shops in Aba, Onitsha and Idumota and arrested 40 persons in a nationwide crackdown on fake and substandard medicine peddling.
Shockingly, the agency also found anti-retroviral drug for free use and other products donated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the raid.
The director-general of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this yesterday while conducting journalists around its warehouse in Apapa, Lagos.
She said more than 20 trucks of substandard drugs were evacuated at different locations in Aba, no fewer than 30 trucks in Onitsha and 27 trucks Idumota markets.
The NAFDAC boss further revealed that a total of 3,027 shops were closed in Idumota, 4,000 shut in Onitsha and another 4,000 in Osisioma in Aba.
“We found vaccines that are not supposed to be stored outside the refrigerator. We found controlled substances and condoms that are supposed to have been destroyed since 2022. We found products donated by USAID. We found Antiretrovirals for free use.
“We found tramadol, container loads of analgin that had been banned in Nigeria before my time. How did it get into the country or market? We have found machines that they are using to change the dates of drugs that are supposed to have expired in 2022 or 2023.
“We found vaccines that are not supposed to be stored outside the refrigerator. We found controlled substances and condoms that are supposed to have been destroyed since 2022. We found products donated by USAID. We found Antiretrovirals for free use,” she said.
Adeyeye addressed concerns from traders who claimed the agency was disrupting their businesses.
“We are not disturbing trade. We are protecting lives. We are trying to safeguard the future of our young people from becoming victims of harmful drugs.
“We are trying to make sure that patients survive from bad medicine. We are trying to make sure that if you have hypertension you will get your hypertension relieved because you are taking good medicine,” she added.
She said the agency’s find during the operation were shocking.
“In addition to expired medications, the agency discovered drugs stored in unsanitary conditions, including toilets and poorly ventilated warehouses without windows.
Among the seized drugs were Tramadol 225mg, a potent opioid capable of causing severe neurological damage, and Tapfradol, a dangerous combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol, which has been banned in India.
Adeyeye disclosed that many of the drugs seized were smuggled into the country and are not registered in NAFDAC’s database.
“We are seeing drugs stored in conditions that make them even more harmful. These include products requiring refrigeration, like vaccines, being kept at room temperature,” she said.
Adeyeye therefore called on the federal government to tighten border security to prevent the smuggling of counterfeit drugs.
“The porous borders are making our job more difficult. We need more manpower at the borders to stop these harmful products from entering the country.
“NAFDAC is far from finished with its mission. The agency plans to expand its operations to other states, working closely with sister agencies to ensure compliance with regulations.
“This is just the beginning. We will not stop until the menace of substandard and falsified drugs is eradicated from Nigeria,” she added.
She said the operation, which had already spanned over three weeks, was made possible with support from the national security adviser (NSA) and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).
“Three years ago, some of our men were almost killed while trying to carry out a major operation like this in Onitsha.
“Our enforcement teams in these three locations were able to carry out their duties without any fear.
“NSA gave us 400 officers in Onitsha, 350 in Aba and over 250 officers in Lagos to ensure safety for our officers,” she said.
