In a sweeping enforcement operation, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized massive quantities of adulterated, substandard, and expired drugs, foods, and other dangerous products at the Ogbo-Ogu Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The crackdown, part of a larger operation across the South-East region, was announced by NAFDAC in a statement shared on its official X handle on Tuesday. The agency emphasized that the confiscated items posed grave health risks, including potential fatalities and long-term disabilities.
The enforcement exercise, led by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, targeted markets and dealers involved in the illegal sale and distribution of fake and expired pharmaceuticals. The raid at Ogbo-Ogu Market, Bridge Head, Onitsha, resulted in the seizure of a wide range of counterfeit drugs, including:
Antibiotics, anti-diabetics, and anti-hypertensives
Psychoactive substances and antimalarial drugs
Aphrodisiacs and unregistered vaccines
Banned drugs such as high-dose tramadol (above 100 mg) and codeine
In addition to pharmaceuticals, unwholesome food items, toxic cosmetics, and hazardous chemicals were also impounded.
Health Risks and Ongoing Investigation
NAFDAC warned that the proliferation of counterfeit drugs and consumables poses severe dangers to public health, stressing that unsuspecting Nigerians could suffer dire consequences from consuming these products. The agency further revealed that many of the intercepted drugs were being illegally repackaged and rebranded by unscrupulous dealers in an attempt to deceive consumers.
While the total monetary value of the confiscated products is yet to be determined, NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to purging Nigerian markets of harmful and substandard goods. The agency assured the public that further investigations and enforcement actions would continue across the South-East region.
This latest raid underscores NAFDAC’s relentless battle against the proliferation of fake drugs and toxic consumables, a menace that continues to endanger millions of Nigerians.
PIONEER NEWS 