The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) raided hawkers of harmful drugs at the Nyanya/Mararaba axis of Abuja on Friday.

Addressing journalists after the exercise, the team leader of the operation, Umar Suleiman, said the operation followed earlier surveillance carried out by officers of the agency’s enforcement unit.

Mr Suleiman, an assistant chief regulatory officer, Federal Task Force, Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, said the operation was also to confirm if Baban Aisha Herbal products were still in the market.

Weeks ago, the agency raided the Baban Aisha production factory along Abuja/Kaduna road for selling unregistered herbal products.

NAFDAC had alleged that Baban Aisha had only registered some of his herbal medicine, using the privilege of those to sell unregistered ones.

The agency also raided and sealed the Al-Nassar Islamic Herbal medicine store, No. 151 Minna Road, Suleja, Niger State.

Meanwhile, Mr Suleiman said those advertising Baban Aisha products were not permitted for now.

He said the agency was able to nab five of the hawkers of the harmful drugs, and one of them escaped.

“Most of the drugs we seized in the Suleja shop are sex enhancers (Manpower), sex enhancers drugs like Night Rocket, Black Diamond, Double Rocket, AK-47 and many more.

“We also seized other herbal preparation medicine such like transformer, maibulala, maibusher.

“At that particular shop alone in Suleja, drugs found there worth N35 million, and for the hawkers, we have an estimate of N10 million,” Mr Suleiman said.

He said NAFDAC plans to extend its search operations to other regulated products like food, cosmetics, medical devices, detergent, package water and chemicals.

He said the agency would soon commence its search mission on pharmaceutical stores and warehouses to rid the country of counterfeit and fake drugs.

Embugushiki Godiya, desk officer, Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Task Force, NAFDAC, said the raid would send a signal to other people planning to sell the same unwholesome medicines.

(NAN)