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The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raided the popular drug market at Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State, confiscating large quantities of suspected substandard, adulterated, and expired drugs.
The operation, led by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, Director of NAFDAC South-East Zone, took traders by surprise as officials moved from shop to shop, seizing a wide range of pharmaceutical products.
Among the confiscated items were fake and counterfeit antibiotics, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, antiasthmatics, aphrodisiacs, antimalarials, anti-inflammatory drugs, herbal remedies, and psychoactive substances.
The raid also uncovered banned drugs, including Analgin, Tramadol (above 100 mg), Gentamycin (280 mg), Codeine, and controlled substances, alongside vaccines, beverages, cosmetics, chemicals, unwholesome food products, and packaging materials.
Dr. Iluyomade emphasized that the operation aligns with NAFDAC’s mandate to eradicate fake, banned, and substandard products from Nigerian markets to protect unsuspecting consumers.
He explained, “Over time, we have gathered intelligence on fake and substandard drugs in the markets and discovered that people are repackaging counterfeit drugs to deceive the public.
“The exercise is aimed at sanitizing the market, safeguarding public health, and removing expired, banned, substandard, and defective drugs from circulation.”
Dr. Iluyomade highlighted that the simultaneous raids across the five South-East states were designed to eliminate dangerous products that could lead to death or permanent disability.
He advised the public to patronize only licensed and registered drug outlets and reassured them that security operatives and investigative teams were monitoring the enforcement to ensure a smooth operation.
Market leaders, task force representatives, and other critical stakeholders were present during the exercise to lend support.
