NAFDAC Justifies Crackdown on Fake Drugs, Says It’s About Public Safety
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has defended its recent enforcement actions against counterfeit drugs, dismissing claims that the agency is targeting businesses unfairly.
The crackdown, which led to raids on markets and shops selling fake and unregistered drugs, has sparked criticism from some quarters. Detractors accuse NAFDAC of unfairly targeting non-drug sections of affected markets. However, NAFDAC’s Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, insists that the agency’s actions are strictly in the interest of public health and national security.
“We are not disturbing trade; we are protecting lives,” Adeyeye stated in a video posted on NAFDAC’s X handle following the recent seizures. “We could not have done it ourselves without the NSA. It is a security risk for our country. What the BBC showed will break your heart—young men who have been rendered useless.”
She stressed that the agency is simply fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding public health, adding that the operation has no political undertones. “There is no politics in what we are doing. Most of the shops are not registered by the PCN. PCN registers sites and people that are working on the sites,” she explained.
Over 11,000 Shops Sealed, 40 Arrested in Crackdown
Adeyeye made these remarks during a press briefing in Lagos on Saturday after NAFDAC sealed more than 11,000 shops and arrested 40 suspects in the nationwide operation.
She revealed that the crackdown was planned for over a year as a covert operation, targeting three major drug markets: Idumota Open Drug Market in Lagos, Ariaria Drug Market in Aba, Abia State, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha, Anambra State. These markets collectively distribute over 80% of medications in Nigeria.
“We are winding down our operations in Aba because we have almost completed the evacuation. Our next phase is to inspect shops individually to identify those operating legally and those who are not registered,” she noted.
So far, NAFDAC has shut down over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and another 4,000 in Aba since the enforcement began on February 10. Adeyeye added that the work in Onitsha is only 20% complete and stressed the need for thorough enforcement, as some traders, while legitimate, are not properly registered under the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
The agency has vowed to sustain its efforts in eliminating fake and substandard drugs from circulation to protect public health.
