By Seun Ibiyemi
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated more than 100 truckloads of substandard, falsified, expired, and prohibited medicines valued at over ¦ 1 trillion from three major drug markets in Nigeria.
The affected markets include Idumota in Lagos, Onitsha in Anambra, and the Aba open drug market in Abia State.
Speaking on the large-scale enforcement operation, NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, warned that the circulation of these dangerous medicines poses a severe risk to public health and could have dire consequences for the country.
“What we have uncovered could devastate a nation. It could destabilise a government. It could significantly diminish the quality of life for millions of Nigerians,” she stated.
She further underlined the risks faced by individuals with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, explaining that counterfeit drugs could lead to avoidable fatalities.
“If you have diabetes or hypertension, conditions that require daily treatment, consuming these falsified medicines could easily result in death,” she cautioned.
Prof. Adeyeye also drew attention to the impact of illicit drugs on Nigerian youth, warning that the narcotics seized from these markets could exacerbate crime and insecurity.
“The narcotics we discovered could destroy lives and fuel banditry and terrorism,” she added.
She revealed that the enforcement operation commenced several months ago and was completed in Idumota and Aba on February 28, 2025, while the Onitsha exercise extended until March 8, 2025.
In total, the agency evacuated more than 100 40-foot truckloads of illegal medicines, including 27 truckloads already destroyed from Idumota, 80 truckloads of prohibited and unregistered medicines from Aba and Onitsha, 14 truckloads of illicit drugs from the Osisioma warehouse in Aba, four truckloads from Ariaria Road warehouse, and 10 truckloads from the Aba open drug market.
Prof. Adeyeye disclosed that in Onitsha, the illegal drug trade was not confined to the main market but had expanded into concealed warehouses within the plumbing, wood plank, and fashion sections.
“We had intelligence on the activities in the plumbing section for the past three or four years,” she revealed.
She recounted how previous attempts to raid the market nearly resulted in tragedy for NAFDAC officials and police officers.
“Our officers and the police barely escaped with their lives,” she said.
Prof. Adeyeye further described repeated attacks on NAFDAC personnel while carrying out enforcement duties.
“About seven months ago, when NAFDAC officials acted on intelligence in the Onitsha market, two of them were nearly killed. They were brutally assaulted and left bleeding. This is the risk we face regularly in NAFDAC,” she lamented.
Despite these dangers, the agency successfully removed ten 40-foot truckloads of Tramadol from hidden locations in the plumbing, wood plank, and fashion sections of the market, along with four truckloads of codeine syrup, which has been banned for nearly seven years.
Prof. Adeyeye underscored that the enforcement exercise was crucial to safeguarding public health and supporting legitimate businesses.
“NAFDAC’s actions serve three key purposes: protecting public health, fostering genuine trade, and mitigating the harm inflicted on our country,” she asserted.
She also pointed out that counterfeit drugs severely impact local manufacturers by preventing them from recovering their investments.
“If a product from a local manufacturer is counterfeited, that manufacturer struggles to see any return on investment because someone else is producing a fake version and selling it at a lower price,” she explained.
She called on Nigerians to support NAFDAC’s ongoing efforts to eradicate counterfeit medicines, stressing that the safety and well-being of the public depend on it.