Esther Salifu
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reinforces war on counterfeit and substandard products as it burns large quantity of illegal drugs in oyo state.
The agency on thursday destroyed counterfeit, expired, and substandard drugs and items worth over N15 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The large-scale destruction exercise, which took place in the state capital, drew attention to Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with fake and unregistered drugs, as well as other harmful consumer goods circulating in markets nationwide.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented at the event by the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, underscored the agency’s commitment to protecting public health.
“There is no doubt that drugs are a critical aspect of NAFDAC’s mandate.
“The products we destroyed today include expired, counterfeit, unregistered, and banned substances such as Analgin, Cocodamol, codeine-based cough syrups, tramadol, oxytocin, and various falsified vaccines.” She stated.
The destroyed items, collected from across the country, included not just drugs but also unwholesome cosmetics, beverages, and chemicals deemed unfit for human consumption.
According to NAFDAC, the move aims to permanently remove the threat of these substances re-entering the supply chain.
The destruction exercise was conducted in collaboration with several national security and regulatory agencies.
Prof. Adeyeye extended her appreciation to the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria for their continued support.
She urged all stakeholders including healthcare professionals, families, and community leaders to intensify public education on the dangers of patronising unlicensed drug dealers.
“This isn’t just NAFDAC’s fight. It’s a collective national responsibility to stop quacks and unauthorised distributors from endangering lives,” she warned.
Also present at the event was S.K. Tijani, who spoke on behalf of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi. Tijani affirmed the agency’s synergy with NAFDAC in clamping down on smuggled and unregulated products.
“All stakeholders must play their part in ensuring that Nigeria is free from criminal networks profiting from the circulation of fake and expired goods,” he said.
The Ibadan operation is the latest in a series of destruction exercises by NAFDAC, as part of its nationwide crackdown on counterfeit pharmaceutical networks. Experts say Nigeria’s porous borders and weak regulatory enforcement in informal markets continue to fuel the influx of illicit products, posing a major public health risk.
The destroyed items, worth an estimated N15 billion, included expired and banned drugs, falsified vaccines, codeine cough syrup, tramadol and other controlled substances, as well as unregistered cosmetics and packaged foods.
