The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Thursday destroyed fake, expired, and substandard drugs and products estimated at N15 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, announced this during the exercise, which took place in the state capital. She was represented by the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade.
Adeyeye said the destruction was part of efforts to protect Nigerians from unsafe and harmful products in circulation.
“There is no doubt that drugs are a critical aspect of NAFDAC’s mandate, and the agency has strict guidelines for the licensing, sale, and distribution of drugs,” she said.
She explained that the items destroyed included counterfeit, unregistered, banned, and expired drugs such as Analgin, Cocodamol, Codeine cough syrup, Tramadol, Oxytocin, and different vaccines.
“The estimated street value of the products we destroyed today is N15 billion,” she added.
Adeyeye said the exercise would prevent the dangerous products from returning to markets and households. She also thanked the Police, Army, DSS, NDLEA, NSCDC, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, and other partners for supporting NAFDAC’s operations.
She further urged Nigerians to avoid buying medicines from quacks and unlicensed dealers, warning that such practices put lives at risk.
In his remark, SK Tijani, who spoke on behalf of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, said the agency would continue to work closely with NAFDAC in stopping the importation and production of harmful and substandard products.
He said, “All stakeholders must play their part to ensure the country is free from criminal activities linked to these drugs and products.”
