By Leshi Adebayo
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said it destroyed N5 billion worth of unwholesome goods in five months.
This was contained in a statement by the agency’s Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, on Sunday.
The NAFDAC boss, Mojisola Adeyeye, according to the statement, has proposed stiffer penalties against drug counterfeiters.
“In its renewed efforts to safeguard the health of Nigerians, the agency has resolved to go after those who engage in the circulation of counterfeited and expired medicines, cosmetics, and spurious food products in the country until they are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law,” the statement read.
“The agency would not rest on its oars until merchants of death desist from the nefarious activities following the destruction of seized unwholesome products worth over N5b in five months.”
The agency stated that it destroyed unwholesome goods worth N1,429,580,683.00 in Awka, Anambra State, in March for South-South and South-East operations; in the same month, unwholesome products worth N613,300,290.00 were destroyed in Kano; in May, the agency destroyed seized counterfeited and expired medicines/food items worth N515,732.587 in Gombe. These items were mopped up in the North-East by the Investigation and Enforcement officials of the Agency led by Kingsley Ejiofor.
According to the agency, fake and expired medicines and food products worth N2,482,600,290 were seized in the South-West were destroyed in Sagamu, last week in Ogun State.
The NAFDAC boss also pleaded with members of the National Assembly to pass the Counterfeit Medical Products Bill that will reinforce the NAFDAC’s fight against counterfeiting in Nigeria.
Adeyeye declared that there will be no hiding place for defaulters and people engaged in activities such as these.
