A raid by officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has led to the seizure of 16 containers loaded with substandard and falsified products including drugs and tomato pastes.
It was gathered that the raid by NAFDAC took place at the Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The process led to the interception of containers laden with N20.5 billion worth of substandard drugs and tomato paste.
In a statement issued on Monday, NAFDAC said 11 containers were loaded with unregistered or banned pharmaceutical products while the remaining four were filled with unwholesome tomato paste.
The agency noted that the containers were received by the officials of the Nigerian Customs Service, at Onne Port, Port Harcourt on Saturday.
Details of the items in the containers include 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup; a controlled, prescription-only medicine, and 12.6 million tablets of tramadol; a powerful and addictive painkiller.
Others are 9.3 million tablets of falsified branded diclofenac; a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and 280 packages of Hyergra tablets; a fake version of sildenafil citrate used for erectile dysfunction.
It added that the containers of tomato paste confiscated were unfit for human consumption.
Moji Adeyeye, the Director General of NAFDAC commended the NCS for proactivity in delivering their duties.
Adeyeye also assured the NAFDAC is committed to ridding the country of dangerous products.
“We want to send a clear message to unscrupulous merchants that under our watch, substandard and fake food and drug products will not gain access to our people. Threats of death, kidnapping, and attempts to discourage our staff will not deter us,” Adeyeye said.
Also emphasising the risk of these fake or falsified products, Adeyeye urged citizens to join NAFDAC in the fight against the importation and sale of substandard or fake products across Nigeria.