The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Friday destroyed counterfeit, expired, banned, and substandard products valued at N20 billion during its South-West Zonal Destruction Flag-off Ceremony at the Moniya Dumpsite in Ibadan.
The exercise, NAFDAC said, is part of ongoing efforts to safeguard public health by permanently removing unsafe, falsified, and violative products from circulation, a release shared by the agency on its website and social media handle noted.
Items destroyed included substandard and falsified medicines, unsafe processed foods, counterfeit cosmetics, and various expired goods seized from manufacturers, importers, and distributors across the South-West.
The exercise also covered expired and damaged products voluntarily submitted by compliant companies, NGOs, and trade groups.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the collaboration with other enforcement agencies, highlighting the scale of the operation:
“We commend the strong partnership with @CustomsNG, especially the recent handover of 25 containers of counterfeit and substandard pharmaceuticals, including a reefer container, for destruction.
“This is a clear demonstration of our collective commitment to protecting the health of Nigerians.”
Adeyeye also acknowledged the support of the “Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,” describing it as crucial in the “sustained national fight against counterfeiters.”
She reiterated NAFDAC’s resolve to continue targeting unsafe products.
The agency boss stated, “Our mandate is to ensure that unsafe, falsified, and violative products are permanently removed from circulation.
“We will continue to work relentlessly to safeguard the health and wellbeing of every Nigerian.”
According to the release, the destruction exercise, which drew officials and stakeholders from across the region, underscores NAFDAC’s proactive approach to tackling counterfeit goods that pose serious risks to public safety.
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