The Kano State chapter of the National Agency for Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has seized fake drugs worth N613 million.
Naija News understands that the agency after discovering the fake products which include drugs, cosmetics and food items, destroyed them immediately.
Speaking with reporters on the operation that led to the development, the state NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, revealed that the seized products include substandard, fake, falsely labelled medicines, unwholesome processed food products and cosmetics.
Naija News understands that the seized products estimated to N613,300,290.00 were recovered from manufacturers, distributors and importers within the Kano metropolis.
“The estimated value of the products being destroyed today is N613,300,290.00. The products include drugs such as antibiotics, antihypertensive, antimalarial, herbal remedies, psychoactive and controlled substances,” Adeyeye revealed.
He added that foods such as spaghetti, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, etc, were also destroyed. “As well as cosmetics such as creams, pomade and insecticides,” she said.
According to the NAFDAC DG, destroying the goods would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the market, adding that drug counterfeit is an act of economic sabotage and pose a serious threat to public health.
Adeyeye warned Nigerians to be wary of possible infiltration of fake COVID-19 vaccines into the country.
She said: “The public must be on the look-out for these spurious and counterfeit vaccines and other regulated products.
“NAFDAC on its part will ensure continuous surveillance on these products and enforce the regulations governing these products in Nigeria,” Adeyeye added.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his conviction in the indivisibility of Nigeria, stressing that the unity of the country is non-negotiable.
Naija News reports that President Buhari made this known in a meeting with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.