The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Thursday destroyed substandard and falsified goods estimated at N1, 367 billion in Abuja.

Speaking during the exercise, the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said that the exercise was part of the agency’s routine operations across the zones of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Mrs Adeyeye, represented by a Director in the DG’s office, Festus Ukadike, said that the goal was to rid the country of some of the agency’s regulated goods that are of low quality in the supply chain.

She said that in 2024, the agency achieved remarkable progress, making substantial seizures that underscored its commitment to safeguarding public health.

She stated, “We carried out several destruction exercises across the zones, including investigation and enforcement. Our relentless pursuit of justice against counterfeiting cartels has resulted in the seizure of over 6,000 bags of re-bagged rice in the FCT alone. These deceitful cartels aim to exploit and harm the unsuspecting Nigerian populace for economic gain.’’

Mrs Adeyeye further said that NAFDAC had zero tolerance for such activities, adding that it had initiated a thorough investigation to ensure that those involved face appropriate sanctions.

She noted, “Some of the goods to be destroyed are psychoactive and controlled substances, antibiotics, antihypertensive, antimalarials, herbal snuff, and herbal remedies, including drugs seized from hawkers. We also have food products such as cookies vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, and items from supermarkets with labelling only in foreign languages, lacking English translation.’’

She said that there were also cosmetics products, chemicals and expired and unwholesome products voluntarily submitted for destruction by non-governmental organisations and Association of Community Pharmacy of Nigeria.

Mrs Adeyeye added that NAFDAC had significantly ramped up its post-marketing surveillance and enforcement activities to checkmate the threats posed by counterfeit medicines and foods to national security.

She said that the agency was proactively engaging political, traditional, faith-based organisations and institutions, journalists and the public to galvanise support in the fight against substandard and falsified products.

The FCT Coordinator, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Gamagira Mohammed, commended NAFDAC for its determination to rid the country of fake and substandard goods and medicine.

He said that SON would continue to strengthen collaboration with NAFDAC to ensure that standards were enshrined in the Nigerian culture.

Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Abuja branch, Salary Orakwelu, also commended NAFDAC, saying that the ultimate goal of food regulatory agencies was to take care of consumers.

She assured NAFDAC of the society’s support.

The exercise was carried out in the presence of officials of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service and the State Security Services. Others are the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, SON, PSN, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

(NAN)