The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated more than 100 truckloads of fake, expired, and banned medicines—including narcotics—from major drug markets in Lagos, Anambra, and Abia states.
Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, confirmed the massive seizure in a statement on Saturday, warning that if these drugs—worth over ₦1 trillion—had made it into circulation, the country could have faced a major health crisis.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, didn’t hold back on the severity of the situation.
“What we found could ruin a nation. It could destabilize a government. It could drastically lower the quality of life for millions of Nigerians,” she said.
She revealed that many of the confiscated medications, including those for hypertension and diabetes, were either fake or expired—posing a serious risk to public health.
Another alarming discovery was the large stockpile of narcotics, which Adeyeye warned could fuel banditry and terrorism, especially among young people under 40.
Dangerous Raids and Narrow Escapes
Akintola also highlighted the dangers NAFDAC officials face when cracking down on these illegal drug markets.
Past raids have often turned violent, with drug dealers fighting back to protect their illegal trade. In a recent operation in Onitsha, NAFDAC officers and police barely escaped with their lives.
“We’ve known for years that something shady was going on there. When we went in with the police, our team barely made it out alive,” Adeyeye recalled.
She also shared a chilling incident from seven months ago, when two NAFDAC officials were brutally attacked in Onitsha while gathering intelligence.
“They left them bleeding. This is the kind of danger we face every time,” she said.
NAFDAC’s Commitment to Public Health
Despite these challenges, NAFDAC is staying the course.
“This is about protecting public health, fostering legitimate trade, and reducing the harm caused by counterfeit drugs,” Adeyeye stated.
She emphasized that beyond endangering lives, fake drugs also hurt local pharmaceutical companies, making it harder for them to compete.
- Cracking down on counterfeit medicines and illegal narcotics, she stressed, is critical to safeguarding Nigerians’ health.
