The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed more than 11,000 shops and arrested 40 individuals in its ongoing nationwide crackdown on counterfeit and substandard medicines.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday in Lagos, NAFDAC Director-General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye explained that the enforcement operation had been planned covertly for over a year.
NAFDAC launched its enforcement efforts on February 10, starting with the Idumota open drug market in Lagos, the Ariaria drug market in Aba, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha. The agency targeted these three markets, which account for over 80 percent of the country’s drug distribution, to eliminate falsified and unregistered medications.
Professor Adeyeye revealed that more than 20 trucks of substandard drugs were removed from various locations in Aba, 30 trucks were seized in Onitsha, and 27 trucks were evacuated from the Idumota market.
“We are winding down operations in Aba, where we have nearly completed the evacuation,” she said. “Our next phase involves inspecting individual shops to distinguish between those operating legally and those that are unregistered.”
Since the operation began, NAFDAC has shut down over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and 4,000 more in Aba. However, Adeyeye emphasized that only 20 percent of the work in Onitsha had been completed, as some traders, though legitimate, have not registered with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
The Director-General also commended the National Security Agency (NSA) for their support, noting that their assistance was crucial for the success of the operation. “Three years ago, some of our officers were nearly killed while attempting a similar operation in Onitsha. This time, our enforcement teams were able to carry out their duties without fear, thanks to the NSA’s support,” she said. “The NSA provided us with 400 officers in Onitsha, 350 in Aba, and over 250 in Lagos to ensure the safety of our personnel.”
