NAFDAC destroys N15bn fake, expired drugs in Ibadan

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

A recently intercepted container 277 cartons of drugs with more than 100,000 tablets falsely labeled as diclofenac but filled with anti-malaria drugs were among the unwholesome, substandard, falsified, and expired products worth N15 billion destroyed by NAFDAC at Moniya dumpsite in Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday.

The suspect linked to the shipment of the false diclofenac had been arrested and would face legal prosecution to serve as a deterrent to other illegal drug importers and distributors, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said during the destruction of the unwholesome products.

Represented by Dr Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, she said the the action aimed to eliminate the risk of such dangerous products re-entering the Nigerian market and harming public health.

The NAFDAC boss added that explained that the destroyed items included counterfeit, expired, controlled, unregistered, and banned medicines and medical products.

She said other destroyed products included Analgin, Co-codamol, codeine-containing cough syrups, Tramadol, Oxytocin, and various expired vaccines, all of which posed significant health risks if consumed or circulated.

She revealed that the estimated street value of the destroyed products was more than N15 billion, underscoring the scale and seriousness of illegal pharmaceutical operations in Nigeria.

“NAFDAC also discovered and confiscated a wide range of illegally manufactured cosmetics and packaging materials during a raid on a military barracks in Lagos, she further disclosed.

Some of the destroyed items, she said, were seized during recent nationwide raids targeting black-market drug sellers, counterfeiters, and unlicensed medicine dealers operating without regulation or oversight.

Adeyeye urged community leaders, health professionals, religious figures, and journalists to educate the public on the dangers of patronising unlicensed drug sellers and unregistered pharmaceutical outlets.

She called for public participation in the fight against substandard products, urging Nigerians to report suspicious drug activities to help protect lives and strengthen the nation’s regulatory system.

According to her, public vigilance and collaboration remain crucial in ensuring that fake, dangerous, and illegal health products are kept off the streets and out of Nigerian homes.

She expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for handing more than 25 seized 40-foot containers of prohibited products, including Tramadol, Artesunate injections, and frozen poultry.

“These prohibited products are part of what we are destroying today, and their removal marks another victory in the battle against violative and harmful substances,” she said.

She also acknowledged the strong support from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, DSS, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), and other stakeholders for their efforts in supporting NAFDAC’s mission. (NAN)