The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday, destroyed fake and expired goods worth over N16 billion at Oke-Diya dumpsite in Sagamu, Ogun State.
The Director-General of the agency, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the exercise was part of the agency’s renewed efforts to rid Nigeria of unwholesome regulated products in order to safeguard the health of the populace.
Represented by NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Francis Ononiwu, the DG stated that the exercise had become necessary to prevent the re-introduction of the products into circulation.
The NAFDAC boss listed the products as sub-standard and falsified medical products, unwholesome processed food additives, unsafe cosmetics and counterfeits as well as other other NAFDAC regulated products.
She explained that some of the products were seized by the agency from manufacturers, importers and distributors.
“Also up for destruction today, are damaged and expired products, voluntarily handed over to the agency by compliant companies, trade unions and non-governmental organisations(NGOs).
” NAFDAC has been charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the health of the nation is safeguarded, and as such, it is committed to eliminating expired medical products, illicit drugs, unwholesome foods, chemicals and other violative products, ” she said.
Adeyeye explained that no fewer than 66 arrests had been made from about 50 raids carried out by the agency on hawkers of drugs across the nation since the beginning of the year.
She added that products like codeine, cough syrups, tramadol capsules, aphrodisiacs, analgesics, antibiotics and antimalaria drugs worth N8 million, being peddled by the hawkers, had also been confiscated by the agency during the same period.
Adeyeye recalled a recent arrest of one Sunday Chibuike who was charged to court by the agency for production of unregistered alcoholic beverages.
She stated that Chibuike was concocting alcoholic drinks laced with marijuana and other harmful ingredients which was packaged and sold as Japata bitters in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos State.
“This act is extremely callous and worrisome because of the health implications which includes pseudo hallucination, impairment of reflexes, acute psychosis, altered brain development and impaired motor coordination among others.
She, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to shun drug peddlers on the streets and patronise registered medicine stores.
