The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted 16 containers of substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products valued at an estimated N20.5 billion. The seizure was made at the Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The consignment, which consisted of 11 containers of unregistered and banned pharmaceutical products alongside four containers of unwholesome tomato paste, was officially handed over to the Director-General of NAFDAC by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service on Saturday. The handover underscores the collaborative efforts between both agencies to safeguard public health.
Among the seized pharmaceutical items were 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup, a highly controlled prescription-only medication.
Also intercepted were 12.6 million tablets of tramadol, an addictive drug used in post-operative pain management, and 9.3 million tablets of falsified branded diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribed for conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition, authorities confiscated 280 packages of falsified Hyergra tablets, a counterfeit version of sildenafil citrate used to treat erectile dysfunction. The shipment also included four containers of unregistered, substandard tomato paste deemed unfit for consumption.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its vigilance and commitment to the fight against the importation of illicit and harmful products. She issued a stern warning to importers and their collaborators, both within and outside Nigeria, that the agency would continue to block fake and substandard products from reaching consumers.
She also revealed that NAFDAC personnel had recently received death threats and faced kidnapping attempts, but reaffirmed that such intimidation would not deter the agency from its mission.
“Recent threats of death, kidnapping of our staff and other attempts to dampen our zeal will continue to fail, because God, as well as our people, are on our side,” she said.
Prof. Adeyeye urged Nigerians to support the agency’s efforts by reporting suspected cases of production, importation, or sale of fake and substandard products through any of NAFDAC’s offices or social media platforms.
She stressed the dangers of consuming expired or falsified products, which she said could lead to acute food poisoning, gastrointestinal illnesses, nutritional deficiencies, chronic organ damage from toxic substances, increased cancer risk from expired dyes and preservatives, allergic and respiratory reactions from hidden additives, as well as food addiction and cognitive disruptions caused by highly processed expired foods.
Emphasizing the need for continued institutional collaboration, she pledged that NAFDAC would keep evolving new strategies and partnerships to build a safer and healthier nation. According to her, safeguarding public health is a collective responsibility that cannot be achieved by NAFDAC alone.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
