NAFDAC Destroys Fake, Expired Drugs, Others Worth N4.7bn In Rivers

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit and expired drugs, alongside other hazardous products, valued at over N4.7 billion in Rivers State.

The destruction took place at the Rivers State Dump Site, Aluu, in the Ikwerre local government area. The event saw the participation of NAFDAC’s state coordinators from the South-South region, as well as key officials from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Rivers State Fire Service, and the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA).

In her address, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasized that the destruction was a strong signal of the agency’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health by eliminating counterfeit and substandard drugs, unsafe food, medical devices, and other harmful regulated products. Adeyeye, represented by Pharm. Chukwuma Oligbo, NAFDAC’s South-South zonal coordinator, revealed that the products were confiscated from various warehouses in Port Harcourt, as well as from Delta and Edo States.

“The destruction of these harmful products is not just a routine exercise; it is a firm statement of our unwavering resolve to protect the lives of our people from the dangers of counterfeit and substandard medicines, unwholesome food, medical devices, and other hazardous regulated products,” Adeyeye stated.

She warned that allowing such products to circulate could lead to treatment failures, drug resistance, prolonged illnesses, and even fatalities.

The products destroyed included substandard and falsified medical products, unsafe food, cosmetics, counterfeit goods, and expired NAFDAC-regulated items that were seized from manufacturers, distributors, and importers. Additionally, damaged and expired products voluntarily handed over by various companies, NGOs, trade unions, and the Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN) were also destroyed.

The estimated street value of the products destroyed is N4.7 billion. In July 2024, intelligence gathered by NAFDAC led to the discovery of several warehouses in Port Harcourt where alcoholic beverages were being re-validated and re-introduced into circulation. Following a coordinated surveillance operation, the warehouses were raided, and the illegal products were confiscated.