On Monday, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration, and Control began enforcing its laws at the well-known Ogbo-Ogu Market in Anambra State’s Bridge Head, Onitsha.
A variety of contaminated, inferior, and expired medications were seized by Operatives of the agency during the exercise, under the direction of Dr. Martins Iluyomade, Director, NAFDAC Southeast Zone.
Iluyomade told journalists that the effort was in keeping with the agency’s mission to stop the spread of counterfeit, prohibited, and other phoney NAFDAC-regulated products in Nigeria and to keep the general public from falling victims.
He added that the exercise that resulted in the seizure of the numerous counterfeits and prohibited goods was a coordinated effort conducted concurrently throughout all of the South-East states and that the agency was collaborating with the market task force on it.
He said, “Today, we are commencing our enforcement at the Ogbo-Ogu market. What triggered the exercise is that over time, we have been collating data and gathering intelligence on fake and substandard drugs in the market, and we got to the tail end and discovered that people are repackaging fake and counterfeit drugs in the market.
“The exercise is aimed at raiding the markets of fake and substandard drugs and those that are made up of spurious, counterfeited and falsified medicinal products, unwholesome processed products and several other unsafe regulated drugs.
“This is taking place simultaneously across the South-East states, and it is aimed at sanitising the drug markets and safeguarding the health of members of the unsuspecting public.
“The exercise is aimed at raiding the markets of fake and substandard drugs and those that are made up of spurious, counterfeited and falsified medicinal products, unwholesome processed products and several other unsafe regulated drugs.
“This is taking place simultaneously across the South-East states, and it is aimed at sanitising the drug markets and safeguarding the health of members of the unsuspecting public.
He urged people to only visit authorised and registered drug stores, noting that security operatives, the agency’s investigative team, and other interested parties are on the ground keeping an eye on things and making sure the enforcement process runs well.
When questioned about the approximate monetary value of the seized goods, Iluyomade responded that it was a continuous process that could only be ascertained at its conclusion.
Among the products found in the market to have been faked and counterfeited included antibiotics, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, aphrodisiacs, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, herbal remedies and psychoactive drugs.
Others were banned drugs such as analgin, tramadol (above 100 mg), gentamycin (280 mg), codeine and controlled substances, vaccines, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, chemicals and unwholesome food, empty plastics, bags and cans, among others.
Also present at the exercise were representatives of various trade unions, market leaders, the market task force, and other critical stakeholders.
