The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, South-West Zone, on Thursday started the destruction of unwholesome and substandard products worth over ₦20 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The exercise was at the Moniya dumpsite in the state, aimed at stopping hazardous products from getting back to the market and creating hazards to public health, said NAFDAC’s DG, Prof. Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye, represented by Mrs. Florence Uba, Deputy Director of the Pharmaceutical Division, Investigation and Enforcement, Apapa, Lagos.
Destroyed items include substandard and falsified medical products, unsafe processed foods and additives, counterfeit cosmetics, and other expired goods seized from manufacturers, importers, and distributors. Prof. Adeyeye added that what was destroyed were also damaged and expired products voluntarily turned in by compliant firms, NGOs, and trade unions.
She revealed that the estimated street value of the destroyed goods was about ₦20 billion, while reiterating NAFDAC’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s health through strict enforcement and monitoring.
He appealed to community leaders, health professionals, religious leaders, and journalists to raise public awareness about the risks involved in purchasing medicines from unlicensed drug vendors and unregistered outlets.
She further lauded the cooperation of NCS, saying it had handed over more than 25 containers of seized items for destruction; while also appreciating the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, DSS, and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria for their sustained support.
She said further that NAFDAC remains unwavering in its determination to rid Nigeria of unsafe, counterfeit, and substandard products in order to protect public health.
