Korede Abdullah
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday, arraigned three suspects before the Federal High Court in Kano, for manufacturing, distributing and selling fake medicines for children.
The suspects are Amao Gideon, Alumona Okwiludili, Hillary Onah Chigozie and Giddyson Healthcare Limited.
When the case came up for mentioning on Friday, prosecution counsel, Oche Abutu, representing the Federal Government on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation, slammed the suspects with a five-count charge which has to do with manufacturing fake drugs, being in possession, distributing and selling of falsified medicines.
However, the suspects pleaded not guilty. Their counsel made an application for their bail.
Simon Amobeda, the presiding judge, fixed June 14 for the bail application and June 20 for the hearing. Mojisola Adeyeye, director-general (DG) of the agency, said the syndicate had been involved in the manufacturing and sale of several falsified medicines.
Kasim Ibrahim, the coordinator of NAFDAC in Kano, spoke on behalf of Adeyeye shortly after the court sitting.
Some of the medicines include Asian Ampicillin 125mg + Cloxacillin 125mg/5ml powder for oral suspension for children (zero active ingredients), Asian Ampicillin 125 mg/5ml powder for suspension for children ( zero active ingredient), Erythromycin 125mg/5ml powder for suspension for children (zero active ingredients), and Artil-Go (Artemether 20 mg + Lumefantrine 120 mg/5ml) powder for suspension for children (zero active ingredients).
Adeyeye noted that all the drugs were mere powders without any active ingredients required for healing or curing a patient.
“For clarity, from the NAFDAC Kaduna laboratory services testing, there is no trace of medicine in the formulations. This puts the patient in danger of treatment failure and possible death,” she said.
In addition, the products were not registered by NAFDAC; the numbers on the products are fake, so is the manufacturer’s address on the label.”
She added that NAFDAC had sealed the illegal factory, which is located in Tafa town, Tafa LGA, of Niger state. Adeyeye said the illicit trade was uncovered following intelligence gathering and a discrete investigation that led to the arrest of the suspects.
