… Arrests 2 suspects
By Chioma Obinna
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in collaboration with security agencies, on Wednesday uncovered a large-scale operation involved in the sale and revalidation of fake, banned, and expired pharmaceutical products in the Ojo area of Lagos, arresting two suspects in the process.
Speaking during an inspection of the premises, a four-storey building with 15 flats used for the illegal operation, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC and Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Substandard Products, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, described the discovery as a grave threat to public health and national security.
“What we have found here is that there are people who are worse than Boko Haram,” Iluyomade said. “This is because people are deliberately selling products that have already been banned, expired, or discontinued, and allowing Nigerians to consume them.”
He explained that some of the seized products included artemisinin-based monotherapies, which have been banned for over 10 years, as well as expired injections and tablets whose expiry dates had been wiped off and revalidated using chemicals.
“This Diazepam injection expired in 2024, yet it was being prepared for sale. They use chemicals to wipe off expiry dates and relabel the products. It is a double-edged danger — banned and expired.”
Iluyomade linked the circulation of such drugs to rising treatment failures and avoidable deaths.
“No wonder people are treating malaria and still dying from preventable illnesses. Only God knows how many people have fallen victim to this. This is a serious war we are sleeping on, and it is a national security issue.”
According to him, similar products have been discontinued in Europe, yet they continue to find their way into Nigeria as dumping grounds.
“We saw empty tablets imported in bulk, which are later filled into fake packs. Imagine the number of people who must have consumed these drugs. Boko Haram cannot even account for that number,” he added.
Iluyomade noted that the investigation is a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies and vowed that those responsible, including foreign collaborators, would be pursued.
“This work is not about one person. We are all working for the same goal. We will connect with international partners, including Chinese authorities, to expose criminals who see Nigeria as a dumping ground,” he said.
He recalled a similar operation in 2008 where foreign and local collaborators were prosecuted.
“At that time, the Chinese counterpart was sentenced to death, while the Nigerian collaborator served jail time. We will revisit those strategies to ensure Nigeria is not abused again.”
Confirming the arrests, CSP Omolola Opeifa, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ojo Police Station, said two suspects had been taken into custody.
“We caught two suspects at the scene. They have questions to answer and are currently in custody,” she stated.
The Executive Chairman of Ojo Local Government, Hon. Princess Muhibat Rufai, expressed shock over the discovery, noting that the illegal operation had allegedly gone on for more than a decade.
“From discussions here, it is clear that this has been in existence for over 10 years,” Rufai said. “Immediately, I summoned the CDC and CDA chairmen because it is impossible for such activities to happen without their knowledge.”
She disclosed that the operation was carried out in a four-storey building with 15 flats, reportedly under renovation for 15 years, though no actual renovation had taken place.“People were working here overnight. Food vendors were supplying them. Trucks came at night to move drugs to pharmacies on the Island,” she said.
Rufai added that the drugs had expired as far back as 2022 and were being revalidated by wiping off labels and changing dates.
“The building has now been sealed. We will reseal it after the drugs are evacuated. The community cannot claim ignorance,” she said.
She also disclosed that the building’s owner is deceased and that his wife is currently in the village preparing for burial arrangements.
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