In its ongoing crackdown on the illegal drug trade across the country, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down over 11,000 shops in major drug markets, including Aba, Onitsha, and Idumota. The agency also arrested 40 individuals involved in the sale of unregistered and hazardous drugs.
During a tour of its warehouse in Apapa, Lagos, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, revealed that the agency had seized over 77 truckloads of illicit and counterfeit drugs. Of the 77 truckloads, 27 came from Idumota, 30 from Onitsha, and 20 from Aba.
Adeyeye detailed that a total of 3,027 shops were closed in Idumota, 4,000 in Onitsha, with the operation still only 20 percent complete, and another 4,000 in Osisioma, Aba. She highlighted disturbing findings, including vaccines that should have been stored under refrigeration, controlled substances, and condoms that should have been destroyed in 2022. The raid also uncovered products donated by USAID, including antiretrovirals meant for free distribution.
“We discovered tramadol, container loads of analgin, which had been banned in Nigeria, and equipment used to alter expiration dates on drugs meant to expire in 2022 or 2023, changing them to 2028,” Adeyeye said. “Consumers are unknowingly taking these drugs and not receiving proper treatment.”
The agency estimates that the value of the seized drugs amounts to trillions of Naira. This operation, which has been underway for over three weeks, has been supported by the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Addressing concerns from traders who claimed that the agency was disrupting their businesses, Adeyeye explained, “We are not hindering trade; we are protecting lives. We are working to safeguard the future of our young people from harmful drugs and ensuring that patients receive effective treatments.”
She also pointed out that the operation had revealed alarming conditions, such as expired drugs stored in unsanitary places like toilets and poorly ventilated warehouses without windows. Among the seized items were Tramadol 225mg, a potent opioid capable of causing severe neurological damage, and Tapfradol, a dangerous combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol, which has been banned in India.
The DG also noted that many of the drugs found were smuggled into Nigeria and are not registered in NAFDAC’s database. “Some of these drugs were stored in conditions that make them even more dangerous, like vaccines kept at room temperature,” she said.
Acknowledging the resource challenges faced by NAFDAC, Adeyeye called on the federal government to provide more support in terms of staff and funding. “Our staff are doing the work of five people because we don’t have enough personnel,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to exercise caution when buying medications, emphasizing that any medicine purchased from street corners should be discarded. “Only buy from reputable pharmacies,” she advised, also stressing the importance of parents monitoring their children’s activities to prevent drug abuse.
Adeyeye further called for improved border security to prevent the influx of counterfeit drugs into the country. “The porous borders are making our work harder. We need more manpower to stop these harmful products from entering Nigeria,” she said.
NAFDAC’s mission is far from over. The agency plans to expand its operations to other states, working in collaboration with sister agencies to enforce regulations. “This is just the beginning. We will not stop until substandard and falsified drugs are eradicated from Nigeria,” Adeyeye vowed.
