NAFDAC DG raises alarm over life threats
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has raised concerns about threats to her life and the safety of the agency’s staff. She called on authorities to provide protection for NAFDAC operatives who face numerous dangers in the line of duty.
Her remarks came after a major enforcement operation led by NAFDAC, which targeted three major open drug markets in Onitsha, Aba, and Lagos. This operation, described as the largest in NAFDAC’s history, led to the seizure of illicit and counterfeit drugs worth an estimated N1 trillion.
In her address to the press at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Prof. Adeyeye highlighted the dangers faced by NAFDAC operatives, drawing attention to a recent attempted murder and a case in Kano where a NAFDAC staff member’s child was kidnapped. Fortunately, the child escaped. The NAFDAC boss also shared that she has 24/7 police protection at her residences in Abuja and Lagos, a situation she decried as unnatural but necessary for her safety.
Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the need for stricter penalties for those involved in the illicit drug trade, advocating for the inclusion of life sentences and the death penalty for offenders in the amendment of key laws, such as the NAFDAC Act and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Act. She also called for the National Assembly to expedite the amendment process to strengthen the fight against counterfeit drugs.
The NAFDAC DG further revealed that the enforcement operation resulted in the confiscation of 87 truckloads of banned, expired, substandard, and falsified medical products, including life-saving drugs donated by USAID and UNFPA. These products had been diverted, improperly stored, and repackaged for resale, undermining Nigeria’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.
The seized products included large quantities of narcotics such as Tramadol, Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), Nitrazepam, and Diazepam, all of which are associated with rising drug abuse, crime, and insecurity. Some warehouses were found to be improperly storing vaccines and prescription drugs at dangerously high temperatures, rendering them ineffective and potentially harmful.
Prof. Adeyeye also pointed out that fake and expired drugs were hidden in unexpected locations such as plumbing and wood plank sections of Onitsha’s Bridge Head Market. Additionally, over 7,000 shops were screened, with many found to be selling unregistered or falsified drugs. So far, 40 arrests have been made, and the suspects will face prosecution.
In the coming months, NAFDAC plans to publicly destroy the seized drugs in the cities where they were confiscated. The agency is also working with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) to relocate all open drug markets to six Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) across the country within the next year.
This operation is part of NAFDAC’s National Action Plan (NAP 2.0) 2023-2027, aimed at eliminating counterfeit medicines, enhancing regulatory compliance, and safeguarding public health. Prof. Adeyeye reiterated the importance of this crackdown, stressing that the fight against counterfeit drugs is crucial for protecting public health and national security.
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