The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has sealed more than 11,000 shops and arrested 40 individuals as part of its ongoing nationwide clampdown on counterfeit and substandard medicines.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Saturday, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, revealed that the enforcement operation had been in the planning stage for over a year as a covert mission.
The agency commenced enforcement actions on February 10 at three major drug markets: Idumota in Lagos, Ariaria in Aba, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha.
These markets, which distribute over 80 percent of medications nationwide, were targeted to eliminate the circulation of falsified and unregistered drugs.
According to Adeyeye, the operation has so far led to the evacuation of over 20 trucks of substandard drugs from various locations in Aba, at least 30 trucks in Onitsha, and 27 trucks from the Idumota market.
“We are winding down our operations in Aba as we have nearly completed the evacuation process. The next phase will involve inspecting individual shops to differentiate legal businesses from those operating without proper registration,” she stated.
So far, NAFDAC has sealed over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and another 4,000 in Aba since the beginning of the enforcement drive.
“In Onitsha, we have completed only 20 percent of the work. We need to conduct a thorough operation because some traders, though genuine, are not registered with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN),” Adeyeye explained.
She commended the National Security Agency (NSA) for providing security, noting that their support was crucial to the success of the operation.
“Three years ago, some of our officers were nearly killed during a similar enforcement effort in Onitsha. This time, our teams in all three locations were able to work without fear. The NSA deployed 400 officers in Onitsha, 350 in Aba, and over 250 in Lagos to ensure the safety of our personnel,” she added.
