Story by Iyiola Ayomide
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered and seized over 10 trucks, each carrying a 40-foot container, fully loaded with fake, expired, and falsified drugs at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The agency made the discovery during an ongoing enforcement exercise at the market.
The operation, which began on Monday, has led to the raiding of several shops, exposing adulterated, substandard, and expired drugs worth billions of naira.
According to NAFDAC, the market serves as a hub for repackaging and revalidating expired medicines with false claims, which are later sold to unsuspecting consumers.
Speaking to journalists on the fifth day of the operation, the agency’s operatives, led by the Director of NAFDAC South East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade, on Friday, stated that the seized trucks were being transported to the agency’s control room for further inspection and eventual destruction.
Today marks the fifth day of our enforcement exercise, which commenced on Monday. So far, we have confiscated no fewer than 10 trucks, each carrying a 40-foot container filled with fake, substandard, and adulterated drugs from the market. Some of these drugs even bear fraudulent NAFDAC approval claims,” Iluyomade stated.
“We detected these fraudulent claims using our scanning and detection machines. The seized drugs include expired, banned, substandard, defective, repackaged, and recalled products.
“These are highly dangerous and can cause death or permanent disability. Our seizure aims to eliminate the risk of these drugs being reintroduced into the market, reaffirming our commitment to safeguarding public health.”
Iluyomade revealed that some drug dealers in the market were found using machines to rebrand, repackage, and alter the expiry dates of medicines.
Several of these machines, along with rebagged containers and fraudulent packaging materials, were discovered during the raid.
He further explained that the operation followed extensive data collection and intelligence gathering, which led NAFDAC to uncover large-scale repackaging and rebagging of counterfeit drugs within the market.
The enforcement exercise has also resulted in the arrest of several individuals who attempted to obstruct the operation.
Iluyomade disclosed that various individuals offered bribes totaling N135 million to NAFDAC operatives in an attempt to halt the exercise, but the agency firmly rejected these offers
Conducted in collaboration with security agencies, market leaders, and other critical stakeholders, the operation is part of the Federal Government’s intensified crackdown on counterfeit drug distribution.
NAFDAC affirmed its unwavering commitment to eliminating the circulation of substandard and falsified drugs in Nigeria.
Iluyomade further noted that the agency is reviewing its laws to impose stricter penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty, for those involved in the production and distribution of dangerous pharmaceutical products.
“Over 90 per cent of the shops investigated in this market are dealing in fake, substandard, repackaged, and counterfeit drugs. If we were to disclose the full extent of our findings, the market would be completely shut down.
So far, we have transported no fewer than 10 trucks loaded with fake drugs from the market, with more still being loaded.
“These containers are being moved to our control rooms for further checks before destruction. The scale of what we have uncovered is heartbreaking.”
“Many traders attempted to bribe our personnel with a total of N135 million to stop this exercise or allow them to move their fake products.
“However, we remain resolute in sanitising the market. This exercise is being carried out with full transparency and is not aimed at witch-hunting anyone.
“However, we have identified a few shops, less than 10 per cent, that have passed inspection and have been given a clean bill of health. These shop owners are now our ambassadors,” Iluyomade added.
One of the drug dealers whose shop was cleared, Chukwudi Ikem, expressed relief and appreciation for the operation.
“Initially, I believed this exercise was a targeted attack on certain individuals, but I now understand that it is a necessary effort to clean up the market.
“If NAFDAC had conducted this raid one or two years ago, I might not have escaped, as I was previously involved in selling fake drugs.
“However, my conscience troubled me, and I decided to change my ways. Today, I am grateful that my shop has been given a clean bill of health,” Ikem said.