The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Thursday destroyed fake, expired, substandard, and falsified drugs and products valued at N15 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.

This significant destruction exercise was announced by the Director-General of the agency, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, during the event in the state capital.

Professor Adeyeye affirmed the agency’s steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of all regulated products, stating that NAFDAC “remained resolutely committed to ensuring that foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water, and drinks were safe, wholesome, and effective for human consumption.”

The Director-General elaborated on the agency’s mandate concerning pharmaceuticals and detailed the nature of the items destroyed.

She highlighted the importance of drug control, noting: “There is no doubt that drugs are a critical aspect of NAFDAC’s mandate, and the agency has established strict guidelines governing the licensing, sale, and distribution of drug products.”

She listed the dangerous products eliminated, saying: “The products we destroyed today (Thursday) include expired, counterfeit, uncontrolled, unregistered, and banned drugs such as Analgin, Cocodamol, codeine cough syrup, tramadol, oxytocin, and various types of vaccines.”

Underscoring the scale of the operation, she confirmed the total worth of the seized items, stating: “The estimated street value of these products being destroyed today (Thursday) stands at N15bn only.” Professor Adeyeye further explained that the destruction of these products would effectively “eliminate the risk of their re-entry into the Nigerian market.”

The DG also acknowledged the crucial support from various security and regulatory bodies, appreciating the efforts of the police, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, NDLEA, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, among others.

She appealed to all stakeholders to contribute to public safety by urging them “to educate their families and wards about the dangers of patronising quacks and unauthorised medicine dealers.”

Speaking on behalf of the Controller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, S.K. Tijani affirmed the strong collaborative efforts between Customs and NAFDAC in combating fake, expired, substandard, and unwholesome drugs and products across the country.

He stressed that all stakeholders must fulfil their responsibility “in ensuring that the nation is free from criminal activities.”