The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a fake drug factory in an uncompleted three storey building at Azagba Ogwashi in Aniocha LGA in Delta State.

The NAFDAC Director, South – East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this at a press briefing in Asaba on Tuesday.

He said that the agency would consider the option of seizing any building used for illicit drug manufacturing and relabelling of expired drugs.

He said, “I feel very sad for our country, and the kind of things that are playing out. Only God knows how many people have died from consumption of the illicit drugs produced by these merchants who are looking for money at all costs. They are perpetrating these heinous crimes using all manner of avenues including inciting the public against what NAFDAC is doing. They are even using their ill-gotten money after killing a lot of people. Nigerians need to be very vigilant.”

According to Mr Iluyomade, the prime suspect, one Ekene Igwe, now at large, is one of the major traders at Ogbo-Ogu at Bridge Head drug market in Onitsha, Anambra State.

He said the suspect and his wife, one Blessing Igwe, were together in the illicit drug business.

He stated. “What these drug merchants have done since they knew that Ogbo-Ogu market is no longer safe for their illicit drug business, they have moved out to neighbouring places like Asaba in uncompleted buildings, relabelling injectables that expired far back seven years ago.

This issue of illicit drug business has been on for several years, and there has not been any solution. This time, NAFDAC is coming forward with solution to make sure that Nigerians are safe, and we can safeguard the health of the public.’’

While displaying the drugs, Deputy Director, NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, South-South and South-East, Babatunji Omoyeni, said that the agency successfully tracked a drug shop at Ogbo-Ogu, where illicit drugs produced were sold to unsuspecting buyers.

According to Mr Omoyeni, the seizures at the illicit drug factory included a big drum containing vials soaked in liquid substance and adulterated drugs.

He added, “They are rebranding expired drugs including large quantity of chloroquine phosphate 322 mg/5ml, petazine injection 50mg/2ml, gentamicin injection 280 mg/2ml and many other contraband injectable with new labelling.”

He said the agency recorded the breakthrough following a tip-off from concerned members of the public

Mr Omoyeni, said efforts were being intensified to track the prime suspect, adding that his wife had been apprehended and arraigned before a competent court for trial and prosecution over her level of involvement in the illicit drug business.

NAFDAC displayed the fake drugs and printed packs of drugs-injections while journalists were taken to the building housing the fake drug factory in Azagba-Ogwashi in Asaba Capital Territory.

According to NAFDAC, the injectables recovered from the three-storey building include eight packs of chloroquine phosphate which expired August 2018. 35 amps of ergometrine that expired in July 2020, 30 amps of petazine, 70 amps of gentamicin, 200 packs of unexpired chloroquine phosphate, 35 amps of engometrin. Also displayed were 50 amps of promethazine, 3000 amps of unidentified injection wrapped with papers, 1300 printed packs of drugs (injection), two generators and one drum containing nails soaked  in liquid substances.

(NAN)