NAFDAC Receives ₦3.7bn Expired Drugs from Customs
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja, on Tuesday, handed over three trucks of expired pharmaceuticals worth N3.7bn to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
This was contained in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi.
According to the statement, the Custom Area Controller in charge of the command, Mohammed Shuaibu, handed over these contraband when he received the new NAFDAC Director in charge of Enforcement and Investigation, Dr Martin Iluyomade, on a courtesy visit to the command in Ikeja.
Shuaibu reaffirmed the service’s dedication to upholding the Memorandum of Understanding between the NCS and NAFDAC. He noted that the MoU marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against fake and counterfeit products.
“What we are witnessing today is a follow-up of the MoU, emphasising the importance of collaboration among regulatory and security agencies to continuously thwart the smuggling and importation of these harmful consignments,” Shuaibu said.
Giving details of the seizures, he mentioned that a total of “three trucks filled with various brands of expired pharmaceutical products were being handed over.
These include items in sacks and cartons such as hyergra, royal tablets 225, CSC codine syrup, really extral, tramadol, amlodipine, milk oil flavour, and firegra, among others. The duty paid value of the expired pharmaceuticals stood at N3.7bn.”
The CAC stressed that the wide range of these products poses serious risks to public health if not properly regulated. The official emphasised that the service remains committed to ensuring the safety and efficacy of medications.
He maintained that expired products must be handled with utmost seriousness, adding that the potential risks to public health from expired or counterfeit products can not be understated.
Shuaibu assured the public that the service prioritises the health and safety of Nigerians by preventing expired or counterfeit drugs from circulating in the market. He reiterated that the handover is not a one-off event, as more products will be transferred to NAFDAC following the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
He highlighted the importance of the continued collaboration between NCS and NAFDAC. “This collaborative effort sets a precedent for future actions aimed at ensuring that only safe and effective medications are available to the Nigerian population,” he concluded.
Receiving the consignments on behalf of the NAFDAC, Dr Martin Iluyomade, commended the NCS for its unwavering commitment to implementing the MoU signed between both agencies.
He lauded the ongoing collaboration, describing it as a healthy and strategic partnership. Iluyomade pledged that NAFDAC would redouble its efforts in the fight against the smuggling of counterfeit and fake pharmaceutical products.