The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake and substandard drugs valued at over N939 million in Awka, Anambra State, as part of its ongoing regulatory crackdown on unsafe products.
The destruction, carried out on Friday at the Anambra State Waste Management dumpsite, involved seized items recovered from across the South-East and was supervised by NAFDAC officials.
The operation targeted expired, unwholesome, and falsified products, including medicines, food items, cosmetics, and medical equipment.
Represented by Regional Director Mr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, said, “Today, we are destroying products with a total estimated street value of N939,077,209. These products have been seized through NAFDAC’s routine surveillance, enforcement operations, and intelligence-led interventions across the South-East.”
He warned that the agency would maintain its zero-tolerance stance against offenders, emphasizing that such enforcement is part of a coordinated national strategy to protect Nigerian consumers.
“Let me state unequivocally that NAFDAC will not tolerate any individual or group that endangers the lives of Nigerians through the manufacture, importation, distribution, or sale of fake, substandard, or expired regulated products,” Iluyomade said.
The agency noted that some of the products were voluntarily handed over by stakeholders, particularly members of the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers in Anambra and Enugu States.
NAFDAC also advised the public to purchase only products with valid NAFDAC registration numbers and to report any suspicious products or activities.
The destroyed items pose serious health risks, including treatment failure, prolonged illness, and even death, highlighting the importance of NAFDAC’s continued vigilance to ensure the safety and well-being of consumers.
