The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit, expired, and substandard drugs worth N4.7 billion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the South-South Zonal Director, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this during the destruction exercise at a dumpsite on Friday.
According to NAFDAC, the products were confiscated from six states in the South-South region—Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
The destroyed items included fake medicines, unwholesome food products, unsafe cosmetics, and other illegal goods.
While some were seized from manufacturers, importers, and distributors, others were voluntarily surrendered by compliant businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and trade associations.
Prof. Adeyeye stated that the agency’s action was a firm step toward protecting public health, warning that allowing such substandard products into circulation could lead to treatment failures, drug resistance, prolonged illnesses, and even death.
She further revealed that in July 2024, NAFDAC uncovered several warehouses in Port Harcourt where expired alcoholic beverages were being relabeled and reintroduced into the market.
A coordinated operation led to the seizure of these items, as well as unregistered cosmetics and non-fortified vegetable oil from Delta State.
Additionally, the agency acknowledged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Edo State for handing over two 40-foot containers filled with unregistered and substandard medicines, which were also destroyed.
Prof. Adeyeye commended the collaborative efforts of security agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Service (SSS), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in combating the spread of counterfeit and dangerous products.
She urged stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and the general public, to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to help maintain regulatory standards.
Dignitaries at the event included representatives from NDLEA, NCS, NSCDC, the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), the State Fire Service, and the Association of Community Pharmacists.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of consumers and eliminating fake and substandard products from circulation.