The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) supports a new proposal from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The proposal calls for the death penalty for people who make or sell fake drugs.
PSN believes this move is important to stop criminals whose fake drugs have caused many unnecessary deaths in Nigeria.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, had earlier called for the death penalty for those selling illegal or fake drugs.
Speaking on a TV program in February, Prof. Adeyeye said that only tough punishments would scare drug sellers and stop them.
She explained that fake and dangerous drugs are a serious issue, and weak punishments are part of the problem. She gave an example where someone caught with a deadly drug only got a small fine or a short jail sentence, which isn’t enough to stop them.
Prof. Adeyeye said that without strong laws and firm decisions from the courts, fake drugs will keep harming people. NAFDAC is working with lawmakers to make punishments tougher.
She added that if someone’s fake medicine kills a child, then that person should also face the death penalty.
Speaking to reporters, PSN President Ayuba Tanko said fake drugs are not just a health issue—they are a form of mass killing because they hurt people who don’t know the medicine is fake.
He praised NAFDAC’s position and said harsh punishment fits the seriousness of the crime. He blamed light penalties for allowing the fake drug trade to grow.
Tanko argued that only a strong punishment like the death penalty can stop the big networks behind fake drugs in Nigeria.
He stated that the PSN fully supports NAFDAC’s push for the death penalty. He said this is not a debate for them—it’s a necessary step.
He compared fake drugs to weapons, saying they don’t just hurt the economy but also kill people. He called it mass murder, not just a mistake or small crime, and said it deserves the most serious punishment.
Tanko said fake drugs are a threat to national security and that the current weak punishments are not enough.
He pointed out that thousands of Nigerians die every year from fake drugs. He asked why people who profit from killing others slowly should be treated less seriously than terrorists or armed robbers.
He added that fines and short jail terms don’t stop fake drug sellers, because they keep coming back. The risk is low, and the profits are high. Only the death penalty can truly stop them.
Tanko said the fake drug business is often linked to criminal gangs, smuggling, and even terrorist funding. It harms the healthcare system and threatens the whole country. The leaders behind these crimes must face the highest punishment.
When asked if the death penalty is fair, he said yes—as long as it’s used for people who knowingly make or sell fake drugs on a large scale and cause deaths. He said the aim isn’t to punish small-time sellers but the real masterminds.
He emphasized that fake drugs are not just a small rule-breaking—they are deadly attacks on Nigerian lives.
Tanko admitted that some people are worried about fairness in court and human rights. For those who oppose the death penalty, PSN also suggests very strict alternatives like life in prison, taking all assets, blacklisting businesses, and naming offenders publicly.
However, he ended by saying that for the worst cases—where people’s actions cause many deaths—the death penalty is the right and necessary punishment.
