Lagos: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a significant enforcement operation at the Idumota open drugs market in Lagos State, aimed at eliminating counterfeit and substandard medicines from circulation in Nigeria. Mr. Shaba Mohammed, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, announced during an enforcement exercise that the market was officially sealed on Sunday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Idumota market was closed alongside two other major drug markets: the Ariaria drug market in Aba and the Onitsha drug market in Anambra. This week-long enforcement exercise targets the three markets, which are responsible for the distribution of over 80 percent of medications in the country.
Mr. Mohammed explained that the operation is designed to combat the activities of traders who deal in counterfeit, substandard, expired, and rebranded drugs that pose significant health risks to Nigerians. The initiative involves inspecting over 5,000 shops, including warehouses and packing stores, in the ongoing operations to identify and remove substandard medical products.
He stated, “Today’s operation is about substandard medical products in Nigeria market. On Sunday night, we sealed the three major open drug markets in the country – Idumota drug market, Onitsha drug market, and Ariaria drug markets in Aba. We have all the securities- Military Police, Secret Service, and Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, along with NAFDAC staff working in these markets.”
In previous operations, NAFDAC focused on investigating and seizing products from these markets. However, the current effort aims to eradicate virtually all counterfeit products from these locations. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reported that shop owners are complying with NAFDAC officials who are inspecting their premises, while armed security personnel are present to ensure the operation proceeds smoothly.
The enforcement exercise has already led to the confiscation of seven fully loaded trucks containing suspected falsified drugs, expired drugs, and drugs packaged with images of human parts, among other violations.