The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has again alerted Nigerians on the dangers associated with the purchase and consumption of fake, banned or adulterated foods and drugs in parts of the country.
Director-General of NAFDAC Professor Mojisola Adeyeye who spoke during a press conference on Friday said despite efforts by the agency to completely rid the nation of unsafe products, numerous unmanned borders and lack of adequate staff have remained major challenges impeding its operations.
Prof. Adeyeye informed that only recently NAFDAC raided two warehouses at the TradeFair Complex in Lagos, and found multiple cartons of banned drugs including 10 cartons of Tafradol (Tramadol 225mg).
She also revealed that the agency has carried out similar raids in parts of the country on regular basis.
“Furthermore, 1,200 cartons of banned Analgin Injection (2.5g/5ml), 2,200 cartons of banned Codeine in Syrup, suspected fake 500 cartons of Azmal; Artemeter Injection, 534 cartons plus 300 packets of Biomal: Artesunate Injection, 188 cartons of Hydra and Black Cobra (silderzafil citrate 200mg), 198 cartons of Super Artesunate Injection among others, were discovered and evacuated.
“The banned and falsified drugs in the warehouses owned by one Chuka (Akuamia), who is still at large, is estimated to be worth over three billion naira (N3,000,000,000). Over 20 truckloads of the offensive products were evacuated from the two locations. The products were stored at temperatures above 40oc which ordinarily would denature some of the active ingredients and the excipients.
“Just last week Wednesday, (10th November 2021), the Agency arraigned one Mr. Afemefuna Udensi of Phini Pharms Limited, Onitsha, at the Federal High Court, Lagos for importing fake Tramadol. The defendant imported a fake version of the registered brand. Investigation also revealed that the fake drugs were imported from China.
“The Agency has also observed that some fake and counterfeit products are brought into the country through a system known as “Groupage”. This is a system where more than two persons load containers with different items from the country of origin. It is collectively cleared and distributed to the owners of the items. This system aids and abets counterfeiting.
“In order to deal with the incidence of Food Fraud, the Agency is carrying out raid operations with tremendous success already recorded in the area of forfeiture of unwholesome processed cereals, beverages, and dairy products. In the nationwide raid which commenced in July 2021, seven (7) trucks conveying 4,578 cartons of various unlabeled, transparent nylon packed cereals worth over 60 million naira (N60, 000,000) were confiscated by the Agency,” she said.
The NAFDAC DG also disclosed that some regular packaged food intake have been adulterated and injurious to the body system.
She said, “During one of our operations, a suspect declared that the CocoPops, CornFlakes and Oats being displayed for sale in transparent nylons were sourced from LAWMA waste disposal trucks before repackaging into transparent nylons.
“The public is hereby warned not to purchase cereal or other products that have been removed from their primary packaging so as not to jeopardise their health. The Agency is particularly pained because infants and children are the target and the ultimate victims of such wicked and evil activities.
“The Agency has also commenced the raids of markets and supermarkets with the aim of mopping up unregistered NAFDAC products. This is in response to credible intelligence indicating that importers are smuggling into the country unregistered Regulated Products during this festive period. Consumers are hereby enjoined to ‘shine their eyes’ when making purchases of products and should not patronise roadside and street vendors.”
While assuring that NAFDAC would not relent in its efforts, Prof. Adeyeye however, enjoined various stakeholders including religious bodies, traditional institutions, corporate bodies, media to join forces with the agency in a bid to do more.
