The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control says its discoveries at three open drug markets in the country could destroy the lives of millions of Nigerians.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this during a news conference she addressed in Lagos on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NAFDAC on February 10, 2025 started enforcement operations at the Idumota Open Drug Market, Lagos State; Ariaria Drug Market in Aba, Abia State; and Bridge Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Adeyeye said that 100 40-feet truckloads of fake, banned, unregistered drugs, and narcotics were evacuated from the markets.
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According to her, the enforcement operations at the markets, which serve as distribution hubs of over 80 percent of medications, will rid the country of falsified and unregistered drugs.
Adeyeye said: “What we found during our enforcement operations in Idumota, Aba, and Onitsha open drug markets can ruin a nation and reduce the quality of life of Nigerians.
“If a patient with diabetes or hypertension takes some of the drugs we evacuated, such a person or people can die easily with what we found.
“In Onitsha and Aba, we evacuated close to 80 40-feet truckloads of drugs from the markets and various warehouses where drugs were stored without windows.
“We discovered 12 truckloads of tramadol and four truckloads of codeine syrups that were banned for treatment some years ago in the plumbing line, fashion line, and wood section in the market.
“We have already destroyed 27 40-feet truckloads of drugs we evacuated from Idumota market.”
The DG said the agency would not relent in its efforts to checkmate activities at the markets till they relocate to a coordinated wholesale centre.
Adeyeye said the enforcement operations at Idumota and Aba markets were concluded on February 28, while the exercise ended on March 5 in Onitsha.
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