The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed substandard, falsified, and expired products worth over N15 billion at the Moniya dumpsite in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Speaking during the destruction exercise on Wednesday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye—represented by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, Director of Investigation and Enforcement—said the move was aimed at preventing dangerous products from re-entering the Nigerian market.
The destroyed items included counterfeit, expired, controlled, unregistered, and banned medicines such as Analgin, Co-codamol, codeine-based syrups, Tramadol, Oxytocin, and expired vaccines. Adeyeye said these posed serious risks to public health if circulated.
She revealed that a recent seizure involved a container falsely labeled as diclofenac but filled with anti-malaria drugs—over 100,000 tablets in 277 cartons—smuggled into the country. The suspect, she added, has been arrested and will face prosecution.
NAFDAC also confiscated illegally manufactured cosmetics and packaging materials during a raid on a military barracks in Lagos, while other products were seized in nationwide crackdowns on black-market drug sellers and unlicensed medicine dealers.
Adeyeye urged health workers, religious leaders, community heads, and journalists to enlighten the public on the dangers of patronizing unregistered pharmaceutical outlets. She stressed that public vigilance and collaboration remain key in eliminating fake and dangerous health products.
The NAFDAC boss commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for handing over more than 25 seized 40-foot containers of prohibited products—including Tramadol, Artesunate injections, and frozen poultry—some of which were destroyed in the exercise. She also appreciated the support of the Police, Army, DSS, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), and other stakeholders.
