The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday, destroyed fake, spurious and fake, expired medicines and unhealthy food products worth N326,833,592.80.
The destruction exercise conducted by NAFDAC’s North Central zone which covers Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Kwara, Niger and Nasarawa States, took place at the Lafia dump site.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Moji Adeyeye, in his Keynote address, expressed concern over the importation, distribution and sale of counterfeit products regulated by NAFDAC which are not safe and healthy which he said, is giving a huge attack on human life.
“As part of our current legal responsibility, we witnessed the destruction of various categories of regulated products with a street value of N326,833,592.80. These products include drugs, food, cosmetics and chemicals, which were confiscated or voluntarily surrendered by the company and the union”, said Adeyeye.
The Representative DG and Director, of the Directorate of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Francis Ononiwu, stated that NAFDAC is seeking the support of public bodies and companies including religious and traditional rulers to get rid of fake and fake products.
In his speech, North Central Zonal Director, Pharm. Mohammed Shaba explained that the tainted products were destroyed from five states in North Central within eight months to a year by the enforcement arm of the agency.
He further announced that many of the violators have been tried by the courts and jailed or fined, because the agency will not spare the violators of regulated products.
But Shaba reminds any user to check the manufacturing and expiry date and NAFDAC number on the product before buying.
Pharm. Shaba urged the general public to report to the agency or security outfit by reporting any person or group dealing with fake, unregistered and unhealthy drugs, food or any product in the law.