The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ramped up its nationwide crackdown on illicit drug sales by shutting down over 11,000 drug shops across Aba, Onitsha, and Idumota, while also arresting 40 suspects involved in distributing unregistered and dangerous drugs.
Speaking on Saturday in Lagos, Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye revealed that the operation has already cleared over 77 truckloads of counterfeit and illicit drugs—27 truckloads from Idumota, 30 from Onitsha, and more than 20 from the Osisioma area in Aba—with enforcement efforts still ongoing. She described the findings as “mind-blowing,” noting the discovery of expired drugs with fraudulent expiration dates, banned substances such as Tramadol and Analgin, illegally sold vaccines and antiretrovirals (including those donated by USAID), and even machines used to alter expiration dates to make expired medicines appear valid until 2028.
Disturbingly, some drugs were found stored in unsanitary places like toilets and poorly ventilated warehouses. Adeyeye estimated that the total value of the confiscated drugs runs into trillions of naira.
Addressing concerns from traders, Adeyeye stressed that these actions are aimed at protecting public health rather than disrupting commerce. “We are trying to safeguard the future of our young people from harmful drugs. We want to ensure patients recover with genuine medicine and not fake products that worsen their conditions,” she stated. She also warned Nigerians against buying medicine from unauthorized sources, urging, “If you bought medicine from a street corner, throw it away. Only buy from a reputable pharmacy.”
The operation involved over 1,000 security personnel—400 in Onitsha, 350 in Aba, and 250 in Idumota—and Adeyeye called on the federal government to tighten border security, noting that most counterfeit drugs are smuggled into the country. “Our porous borders are making our job more difficult. We need more manpower to stop these harmful products from entering Nigeria,” she said.
NAFDAC has vowed to expand its enforcement efforts to other states and to work with sister agencies to ensure strict compliance. “This is just the beginning. We will not stop until the menace of substandard and falsified drugs is eradicated from Nigeria,” Adeyeye declared.
