By Eve Omayrs
Awka, March 22, 2025– In a blazing spectacle of justice, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) set fire to counterfeit and substandard drugs worth over N1 trillion yesterday, Friday, March 21, in Awka, Anambra State. The dramatic destruction, witnessed by a stunned crowd, marks a bold escalation in Nigeria’s fight against the deadly trade in fake medicines threatening millions of lives.
The haul—stacked high with expired antibiotics, bogus malaria treatments, and adulterated painkillers—was seized over months from shadowy markets and warehouses nationwide. NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stood resolute as flames devoured the illicit stash, declaring, “This is a warning to drug barons: your poison ends here.” She revealed that the agency’s crackdown targeted syndicates flooding Nigeria with counterfeit goods, some smuggled across porous borders, others churned out in clandestine labs.
The operation wasn’t just symbolic. Officials say the destroyed drugs, enough to fill a small warehouse, posed a lethal risk—capable of fueling antibiotic resistance, triggering organ failure, or simply failing the sick when they needed help most. “These aren’t medicines; they’re murder weapons,” said Dr. Chukwuma Obi, a public health expert at the scene.
The timing couldn’t be more urgent. With Nigeria grappling with a looming HIV drug shortage flagged by the WHO, the stakes for a clean pharmaceutical supply chain are sky-high. Yesterday’s bonfire followed raids in Lagos, Kano, and Onitsha, where NAFDAC nabbed 15 suspects—now facing prosecution. Sources hint at a bigger sweep still to come.
Local traders, however, are crying foul. “Not everything burned was fake—some of us lost legitimate stock,” grumbled Chidi Okeke, a pharmacist caught in the dragnet. NAFDAC insists every item torched failed rigorous lab tests, but the controversy is already sparking debate over enforcement tactics.
As the ashes settled in Awka, Adeyeye vowed no let-up. “We’ll keep hunting these merchants of death,” she said, urging citizens to buy only from licensed vendors. For now, Nigeria’s war on fake drugs burns brighter—and hotter—than ever.
Tags
News