The Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has raised the alarm over threats to her life and the safety of agency staff, calling on authorities to protect them as they navigate hazardous conditions in their duties.
She also advocated for the death penalty for those involved in the production and sale of fake and counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.
Speaking at a State House briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Prof. Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC had recently seized illicit drugs worth over N1 trillion in an ongoing crackdown against substandard and fake pharmaceutical products.
The NAFDAC boss revealed that the agency’s intensified enforcement efforts had resulted in the seizure of 87 truckloads of banned, expired, and substandard medical products. Among the confiscated items were USAID- and UNFPA-donated antiretroviral drugs, male and female condoms, and other compromised medical supplies.
She described the large-scale operation, which targeted Nigeria’s three major open drug markets, as the biggest in NAFDAC’s history. The operation was executed in:
Ariaria and Eziukwu Markets (Aba, Abia State)
Bridge Head Market (Onitsha, Anambra State)
Idumota Drug Market (Lagos State)
Prof. Adeyeye estimated that the value of the seized items was at least N1 trillion, but noted that further assessment could reveal a higher figure.
The NAFDAC DG recounted how staff members had faced kidnapping attempts and physical threats due to their work.
“I told you about the attempted murder about six months ago. One of our staff members in Kano had his child kidnapped because he was doing his job. Fortunately, the child escaped,” she revealed.
“For me, I have two policemen living in my house 24/7 in Abuja and Lagos. I don’t have a life. I can’t go anywhere without police escorts. That’s not my way of living, but I don’t have a choice because we must save our country. Nonetheless, I also use common sense.”
The threats facing Prof. Adeyeye mirror those encountered by Prof. Dora Akunyili, who led NAFDAC from 2001 to 2009 and became a target of drug cartels due to her relentless fight against counterfeit drugs.
Akunyili’s motivation stemmed from the death of her sister, who died after receiving fake insulin. Her campaigns led to the closure of open-air drug markets and the confiscation of fake drugs, drawing numerous threats and even an assassination attempt in 2003.
Like Akunyili, Prof. Adeyeye remains determined to eradicate the fake drug menace despite the dangers involved.
Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the need for stricter punishments, including the death penalty, for those endangering lives through fake drugs.
She urged the Nigerian government to implement stronger laws to curb the life-threatening trade of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
NAFDAC continues to intensify its enforcement actions nationwide, with the goal of protecting public health and restoring confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.
VANGUARD
