The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized and destroyed fake, adulterated, expired and banned products worth more than N8bn across North-Central Nigeria.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Thursday in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during the destruction exercise.
Adeyeye, who was represented by the agency’s Deputy Director in the zone, Joseph Edor, said the products were confiscated from manufacturing facilities, sales outlets, markets and motor parks across the region.
She said most of the destroyed products were banned alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and containers smaller than 200 millilitres.
According to her, the restriction on alcoholic beverages in sachets and small containers was introduced because their affordability, availability and portability made them susceptible to abuse, particularly among young people and underage schoolchildren.
“Research has shown that early exposure to alcohol affects the brain and other vital organs such as the liver and kidneys,” she said.
Adeyeye warned that alcohol consumption among children could impair brain development, affect academic performance, reduce productivity and cause other health complications.
She said the ban and subsequent enforcement operations were aimed at curbing alcohol abuse, addiction and the associated health risks.
The NAFDAC boss added that other products seized during the operations included expired and counterfeit medicines, as well as adulterated and unwholesome food products and cosmetics.
She explained that NAFDAC was established under Decree No. 19 of 1993, as amended, to protect public health by ensuring that regulated products manufactured, imported, distributed and sold in Nigeria meet the required quality and safety standards.
Adeyeye commended law enforcement agencies, sister agencies and other stakeholders for supporting the operations through intelligence sharing and the provision of security.
The Nasarawa State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Dr. Gyani Stephen, said the exercise was intended to protect public health rather than harm traders or businesses.
She warned dealers in counterfeit and banned products to desist from the practice, stressing that the agency would take legal action against offenders.
The Nasarawa State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Daniel Saidu, represented by Yakubu Awoh, commended NAFDAC for its efforts to protect lives.
