The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has intercepted a Mercedes truck laden with fake drugs and vaccines along Asaba-Benin road.
The agency says the truck was heading for Warri, Delta State capital, to deliver its consignments to 15 drug retail outlets in the oil-rich town.
Source: NAFDAC
In a statement signed by Resident Media Consultant to the agency Sayo Akintola and mailed to The ICIR Wednesday, the agency explains that it intercepted the products through its Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) Directorate, following an intelligence report.
NAFDAC says the “unregistered, banned and controlled medicinal products” were manufactured at Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
It lists some of the products as tetanus diphtheria vaccine, analgin injection, CSP with codeine cough syrup, mepacrine HCL tablets, diethylcarbamazine citrate tablets, dano tetanus vaccine and artestunate injection.
According to the statement, Director-General of the agency Mojisola Adeyeye dropped the hint on Thursday, April 14 in Abuja.
Adeyeye reiterates NAFDAC’s determination to ensure that only wholesome medicinal products and other regulated products are available in Nigerian markets for public consumption.
She further explains that the products were evacuated and inventory taken, while the suspects with cartons containing the products made police statements and were released on administrative bail.
She, however, warns medicine merchants to always have the general wellbeing of people in the country at heart above other considerations, stressing that there is no longer a hiding place for them if they fail to stop illicit business of circulating dangerous medicinal products that are capable of compromising the health of the Nigerian public.
The agency names outlets where the drugs were to be delivered, of which 15 are in Warri while one is in Onitsha.
They outlets are: Pendrix Pharmacy; Samtex Pharmacy; Onos Pharmacy; Chima Patent Medicine Store; Imoson Patent Medicine Store; Sam-C Patent Medicine Store; Sunshine Patent Medicine Store; and Hyunus Patent Medicine Store.
Others are Chuks Patent Medicine Store; Solomon Patent Medicine Store; Friday Patent Medicine Store; Madam Faithmax Patent Medicine Store; Omas Pharmacy; Evans Patent Medicine Store; Chiyere Patent Medicine Store; and Philo Patent Medicine Store, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2022. Contact him via email @ [email protected].