Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has called for life sentences and death penalty for individuals involved in drug crimes.
Adeyeye made the call on Wednesday in Abuja, while addressing State House correspondents.
She urged the National Assembly to incorporate these penalties into the amendment of the NAFDAC Act (NI LFN) and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Act (C34 Act).
She emphasised the importance of including these severe penalties in the amendment of the Acts as a deterrent to drug crimes, which, she said, have led to the deaths of several innocent Nigerians, including children.
The Director-General also highlighted NAFDAC’s recent enforcement operation aimed at protecting public health and eliminating falsified and substandard medical products from circulation.
She stated that the ongoing operation, taking place in three major open drug markets, aimed to reduce the distribution of substandard and falsified medicines and ensured public health safety.
“The operation is part of NAFDAC’s National Action Plan (NAP 2.0) for 2023-2027.”
The operation is being conducted in markets such as Ariaria and Eziukwu Markets in Aba, and Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, which includes Ogbo-Ogwu, Plumbing, Planks, Surgical, and Science Markets.
Additionally, the operation is taking place in the Idumota Drug Markets in Lagos.
Adeyeye stated that the operation was designed to strengthen the regulatory framework and increase consumer confidence in medical products.
“This operation is essential for removing counterfeit products from the market, ensuring counterfeiters face legal consequences, and ultimately protecting the public,” she said.
“As part of the operation, NAFDAC officials have screened all the shops in the targeted markets, removing all suspected substandard and falsified medical products.
“These items have been catalogued and moved to secure warehouses for further action.
“The operation has led to the removal of 87 truckloads of banned, expired, unregistered, and suspected falsified and substandard medical products from the three markets.
“A database of the shops and the violations has been created for further prosecution, with more than 40 arrests already made.”
Adeyeye noted that the current premises used by medicine sellers in these markets were unregistered and did not meet the minimum standards for storage, sale, and distribution of drug products.
According to her, the confiscated products will be publicly destroyed after the operation is concluded.
She further explained that, following the operation, NAFDAC and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) would relocate the markets to the planned Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) within the next year.
She said there would be six CWCs across the country, one in each geopolitical zone. (NAN)
