Fake, substandard, expired and unwholesome regulated products worth N4.2 billion in Awka, Anambra State have been destroyed by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by the agency’s director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Francis Nzeribe Ononiwu, said the public destruction of the drugs would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the Nigerian market.
According to her, the destruction of fake items was a proof of NAFDAC’s resolve to safeguard the health of the nation and ensure that only genuine medicines and wholesome foods of the right qualities are imported, exported, manufactured, distributed and sold in Nigeria.
Adeyeye said two people have been successfully prosecuted and jailed for five years each in Anambra State in 2021 and 2022 for faking drugs and food products.
She praised the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of Asaba, Delta State, for making several seizures of controlled and banned narcotics, counterfeit and fake products being distributed by unscrupulous elements and causing harm to public health.
She also disclosed that a remarkable seizure was made in 2021 by the Nigerian Customs of a 40×40 container of fake, banned and counterfeit products worth millions of Naira.
Adeyeye described drug counterfeiting as an act of economic sabotage and serious threat to public health.
The event was attended by all the state coordinators of NAFDAC in the two zones namely: Anambra, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, including the deputy director of South-East zone, Collins Ogedengbe.