The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized more than 10 million doses of counterfeit malaria medicines and cosmetic products valued at about N3 billion at the Trade Fair Market in Lagos.

 

This was disclosed by Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martin Iluyomade, during a media briefing in Apapa.

 

Iluyomade, who is also Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, said the operation followed credible intelligence received on February 3.

 

He said the seized items included fake anti-malaria drugs and injections used for cerebral malaria, antibiotics, Postinor, and Analgin, an analgesic banned in Nigeria for nearly 15 years, among other products.

 

According to him, eight truckloads of fake drugs and cosmetics were evacuated from a three-storey building that was disguised as a spare parts warehouse.

 

Four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure, while investigations are ongoing. Iluyomade described the operation as one of the agency’s breakthroughs in recent times.

 

He said counterfeiters were increasingly concealing drugs in unconventional locations, making detection more difficult.

 

He added that many of the seized products were cloned to closely resemble original brands, making it hard for even authorised manufacturers to distinguish them from genuine products.

 

Iluyomade warned that the volume of counterfeit medicines intercepted posed a serious public health risk, noting that the products could have caused widespread harm if they had entered the market.

 

He reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment under the leadership of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye to rid the country of fake and unwholesome products and protect public health.

 

The task force chairman urged major drug distributors to source medicines only from NAFDAC-accredited manufacturers and advised members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office nationwide.