NAFDAC defends anti-counterfeit drug crackdown, says trade not affected

As part of the operation, NAFDAC raided markets and shops where fake pharmaceuticals were found, prompting criticism from some quarters. Detractors accused the agency of unfairly targeting non-pharmaceutical sections of certain markets.

However, NAFDAC’s Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, dismissed these allegations, emphasizing that the agency’s primary focus is safeguarding public health.

“We are not disrupting trade; we are protecting lives,” Adeyeye stated in a video posted on NAFDAC’s X handle following recent seizures.

“We could not have carried out this operation without the NSA. It is a security risk for our country. What the BBC exposed is heartbreaking—young men rendered useless by these substances.”

She reiterated that NAFDAC’s actions align with its mandate.

“There is no political agenda here. Most of the shops we targeted are not registered with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), which is responsible for licensing pharmaceutical businesses,” she clarified.

A Well-Planned Operation

Adeyeye made these remarks during a press conference in Lagos yesterday after NAFDAC sealed over 11,000 shops and arrested 40 individuals for selling counterfeit and substandard drugs.

According to her, the crackdown was meticulously planned for over a year and executed covertly.

It began on February 10 at key drug distribution hubs, including the Idumota Open Drug Market in Lagos, the Ariaria Drug Market in Aba, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha.

These three markets, which supply over 80% of the country’s medications, were prioritized to eliminate falsified and unregistered drugs.

“We are concluding our operations in Aba, where most of the evacuation is complete. The next phase involves inspecting individual shops to distinguish legitimate businesses from unregistered ones,” the NAFDAC DG explained.

She further revealed that since the operation’s launch, NAFDAC has shut down over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and another 4,000 in Aba.

“In Onitsha, we have only completed 20% of the work. This process must be thorough because even some genuine traders are not registered under the PCN,” she added.