The agency, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the perpetrators, posing as Christian missionaries, were administering unregistered drugs and products to unsuspecting residents under the pretext of “free medical evangelism.”
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it uncovered a counterfeit healthcare operation disguised as a medical outreach at the Community Town Hall in Abuloma, Port Harcourt.
The agency, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the perpetrators, posing as Christian missionaries, were administering unregistered drugs and products to unsuspecting residents under the pretext of “free medical evangelism.”
According to the statement, the illegal practitioners were distributing dubious products, including “Evangelist Jenkins Supernatural Water” and “Evangelist Jenkins Eye Drops”, items falsely promoted as miracle cures for severe medical conditions such as cancer, fibroids, glaucoma, and arthritis.
“NAFDAC officials discovered that the fake practitioners were distributing products such as: “Evangelist Jenkins Supernatural Water,” “Evangelist Jenkins Eye Drops,” and other unregistered items falsely claimed to treat conditions like cancer, fibroids, glaucoma, and arthritis,” the agency said.
It noted that reports from the scene indicated some users suffered adverse reactions after using the products.
In one incident, individuals who used the eye drops reportedly experienced severe swelling.
Alarmingly, the fake operators told the affected individuals that the swelling was a “sign of healing.”
During the raid, NAFDAC said that its officials arrested a woman identified as Mrs. Gladies Theophilus, who was involved in distributing the products.
However, the agency said the main suspect fled the scene and is currently at large, adding that efforts are underway to locate and arrest the fleeing suspect.
NAFDAC said it confiscated and evacuated the fake products to its zonal office for further analysis and has launched a full-scale investigation into the operation.
The agency reiterated its commitment to protecting public health and urged Nigerians to be cautious.
This development comes amid an intensified crackdown by NAFDAC on counterfeit pharmaceuticals and fake medical practices across major Nigerian cities.
In recent months, the agency has carried out raids in Onitsha, Lagos, and Aba, seizing large quantities of counterfeit drugs and shutting down illicit warehouses.
These actions are part of a broader effort to combat the proliferation of fake medicines, which continue to endanger lives across the country.
NAFDAC advised citizens to verify the authenticity of health products and report any suspected fake drugs through its official channels.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has repeatedly warned against the dangers posed by unregistered and substandard health products, emphasising the agency’s zero-tolerance policy for offenders.
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