The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sounded a strong alarm over the growing menace of counterfeit medicines and contaminated food in Nigeria, following the interception of 16 containers of unregistered pharmaceutical products and spoiled tomato paste at the Onne Port in Port Harcourt.
The contraband, estimated to be worth ₦20.5 billion in street value, was handed over to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, by the Nigeria Customs Service over the weekend.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC described the haul as one of the most dangerous threats to public health in recent times. The intercepted consignment included 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup, 12.6 million tablets of tramadol, 9.3 million falsified diclofenac tablets, and 280 packs of counterfeit Hyergra, a fake version of sildenafil citrate.
“This is not just about fake drugs — it’s a direct threat to public health,” Prof Adeyeye warned.
She expressed concern over the increasing brazenness of traffickers and revealed that NAFDAC staff have been subjected to serious threats in the line of duty.
“Recent threats of death, kidnapping of our staff and other attempts to dampen our zeal will continue to fail,” she said, adding that “God, as well as our people, are on our side.”
The NAFDAC chief called on Nigerians to play a proactive role by reporting suspicious products, whether drugs or food, to the agency’s offices or verified social media platforms.
“Safeguarding the health of the nation is a collective responsibility. NAFDAC alone cannot fight this battle,” she stressed.
Prof Adeyeye reiterated her commitment to collaborating with other regulatory and security agencies to curb the influx of dangerous products into the country and develop more sophisticated surveillance and enforcement mechanisms.
“This seizure is a testament to what coordinated action can achieve,” she noted, “but it is only one part of a much larger and ongoing effort.”
