- During coordinated onslaught against harmful merchandise
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit, expired, banned, and unwholesome pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products worth an estimated N20 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The destruction exercise, held on Thursday at the Moniya Dump Site along Akinyele Road, marked the South-West zonal flag-off ceremony for the elimination of unsafe products from circulation.
Addressing participants at the event, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, reaffirmed the agency’s determination to protect public health through an unrelenting campaign against substandard and falsified (SFs) medical products, illicit drugs, and other unsafe regulated goods.
Represented by the Deputy Director, Pharmaceutical Division, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Lagos, Pharm. Florence Ubah, Professor Adeyeye disclosed that the destroyed products were seized from manufacturers, importers, and distributors across the country, while others were voluntarily handed over by compliant companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and trade associations.
“These include falsified medicines, unsafe cosmetics, counterfeit and expired processed foods, food additives, and other violative NAFDAC-regulated products,” she explained.
The NAFDAC boss described the exercise as part of the agency’s continuous effort to ensure that expired or counterfeit products are permanently removed from circulation.
“This destruction is a routine exercise consistent with our mandate to ensure that no expired, substandard, or falsified medical products, or any unsafe NAFDAC-regulated items, re-enter the market,” she stated.
Professor Adeyeye commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its recent handover of 25 containers of assorted pharmaceutical products for destruction, noting that such inter-agency cooperation was critical to the success of the fight against fake and unsafe goods.
She equally acknowledged the collaboration and support of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others.
While urging continued public vigilance, the NAFDAC Director-General called on community leaders, health professionals, faith-based organisations, and the media to join in raising awareness about the dangers of counterfeit and unregistered medicines.
“It is imperative that we all educate our families and communities about the risks of patronising quack medicine dealers and unauthorised drug outlets,” she warned.
“This fight against counterfeit and unsafe products is a collective responsibility.”