NAFDAC seeks death sentence for fake drug dealers
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the amendment of “NAFDAC ACT” and Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods C34 Act to include life sentence and death penalty in the penalties for such crimes. Addressing State House correspondents at […]
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the amendment of “NAFDAC ACT” and Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods C34 Act to include life sentence and death penalty in the penalties for such crimes.
Addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, the DG, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the call had become imperative because many Nigerians are dying on a daily basis due to the consumption of fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods.
Speaking specifically on the ongoing enforcement operation in the open drug markets of Ariaria and Eziukwu markets in Aba, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha and Idumota Drug Markets in Lagos, the DG said
87 truckloads of banned, expired, unregistered, falsified and substandard medical products had been so far removed from over 7,000 shops screened in the three markets.
She also noted that the quantity of
Tramadol, narcotics and controlled substances seized from each of these locations was enough to destabilise the country security-wise, alleging that it had been contributing to the prevailing insecurity in the country.
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Adeyeye, who hinted that the Onitsha Bridge Head market will be opened next week once the ongoing enforcement operation is completed and on NAFDAC terms, noted that the opening would be a temporary measure until the designated Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWC) are ready.
She said the centres would be built in the six geo-political zones to cater for drugs in the zones.
Adeyeye said the operation started in 2024 with a strong collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
“The simultaneous exercise started on the night of 9th February 2025 by cordoning off the three markets with 1100 security forces comprising the military, police and Department of Security Service (DSS) personnel. The screening of the shops commenced the following day on 10th February 2025,” she added.
The DG explained that there were meetings with members of the executives of the union in each of the markets on the need to cooperate with the enforcement officers from NAFDAC and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN).
“During this exercise NAFDAC succeeded in removing from circulation 87 truckloads of banned, expired, unregistered, suspected falsified and substandard medical products from the three markets removed from over 7,000 shops screened as at today 26th February 2025.
“More than 40 arrests have been made which will be followed by prosecution.
The screening of shops ended on Tuesday, February 25 in Idumota and Aba. For the remaining period of the exercise, shops that have non-violative or non-NAFDAC regulated products are being reopened while owners of such shops are being asked to sign undertakings that they agree to relocate to designated Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) on completion.
“Meanwhile, the operation continues in Onitsha Head Bridge until next week when similar process of opening the shops to non-violative shop owners and charging the violative ones accordingly will commence.”
According to her, with the signing into law, the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) for forfeiture of assets, the assets recovered from suspects will be treated as proceeds of crime after their conviction by the courts.
“We use this opportunity to call on the National Assembly to expedite the amendment of NAFDAC ACT NI LFN and Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods C34 ACT to include life sentence & death penalty in the penalties for crimes committed under these acts,” she added.