The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed expired, adulterated, and substandard pharmaceuticals and food products worth over N5 billion in Nasarawa State.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, revealed this during a destruction exercise held in Lafia, the state capital.
She explained that the products were seized during routine enforcement operations across five North-Central states which are Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Niger.
The destroyed items included expired and falsified food products, drugs, medical devices, detergents, and other hazardous chemicals.
Professor Adeyeye, represented by the North Central Zonal Director, Mr. Kenneth Azikiwe, expressed concern about the growing strategies used by illegal traders, such as altering expiry dates, adulteration, and counterfeiting to deceive consumers.
She noted that the successful interception of the products was achieved through strong collaboration with security agencies and regulatory partners.
The Director General urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious or unwholesome products to the nearest NAFDAC office.
In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Commissioner for Security and Sundry Matters, Mallam Usman Baba, described the destruction exercise as a significant milestone in the fight against counterfeit and unsafe regulated products in Nigeria.
Representatives of the Community Pharmacy Association of Nigeria and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also pledged to intensify collaboration to curb the proliferation of fake and substandard products nationwide.
