The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated over 10 million doses of counterfeit malaria drugs and cosmetic products valued at about ₦3 billion during a major enforcement operation at the Trade Fair Market in Lagos.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, disclosed the development on Monday while briefing journalists at the agency’s Apapa office, stating that the raid was carried out following credible intelligence received on February 3.
According to Iluyomade, the seized items included anti-malarial drugs, cerebral malaria injections, antibiotics, postinor and anagin products, some of which have been prohibited in Nigeria for nearly 15 years. He revealed that the counterfeit goods were concealed in a three-storey building disguised as a spare parts warehouse.
The operation led to the evacuation of eight truckloads of fake drugs and cosmetics, as well as the arrest of four suspects. Investigations into the syndicate behind the operation are ongoing, with Iluyomade describing the raid as one of NAFDAC’s most significant recent breakthroughs.
He warned that if the counterfeit products had found their way into circulation, they could have posed serious health risks to as many as three million Nigerians.
Iluyomade reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to clamp down on counterfeit and substandard products across the country under the leadership of NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.
He further advised drug distributors to procure medicines only from NAFDAC-accredited manufacturers and urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.
