NAFDAC destroys N4.7bn fake, expired products in Rivers

The National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake, expired, and substandard products worth N4.7 billion in Rivers State.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this during the destruction exercise at the Rivers State dumpsite in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Adeyeye, who was represented by the NAFDAC Director of South-South Zone, Chukwuma Oligbu, said the products were all seized from the six states of the South-South region.

The states are Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.

She stated that the investigation, enforcement, and destruction exercise was an unwavering resolve and commitment of the agency to protect the lives of the people.

The NAFDAC boss said: “The destruction of these harmful products was not just a routine exercise.

“It is a firm statement of our unwavering resolve and commitment to protect the lives of the people from the dangers of counterfeit and substandard medicines, unwholesome food, medical devices and other hazardous regulated products.

“These products, if allowed to circulate, could cause untold harm including treatment failures, drug resistance, prolonged illnesses, and even loss of lives.”

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Adeyeye explained that the products destroyed were made up of substandard and falsified medical products, unwholesome processed food products, and food additives, unsafe cosmetics counterfeits.

She listed others to include expired NAFDAC regulated products seized by the agency from manufacturers, importers, and distributors.

Adeyeye said some damaged and expired products were handed over to the agency by compliant companies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN), and trade unions.

She stated that the feat was achieved through intelligence gathering in July 2024, adding that the estimated street value of the destroyed products was N4.7 billion.

Adeyeye added that NAFDAC also discovered several warehouses in Port Harcourt where some alcoholic beverages were being re-validated and re-introduced into circulation.

Adeyeye said: “After a properly coordinated surveillance, the warehouses were raided and products confiscated.

“Also, through this operation, a warehouse of unregistered cosmetics product was raided and products worth several millions of naira were confiscated.

“Seized unregistered imported vegetable oil without Vitamin A fortification and assorted unregistered cosmetics product from Delta state were also among the products destroyed.”

The Star