Consumer Safety: NAFDAC destroys N15bn seized fake drugs, prohibited products in Ibadan

*Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, restates the agency’s commitment to ensuring that food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water and beverages consumed in Nigeria are ‘safe, wholesome and effective’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of efforts at safeguarding the health of Nigerian consumers, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Thursday, October 2, 2025, destroyed seized counterfeit, expired, banned and unwholesome pharmaceutical products and other consumables, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

ConsumerConnect reports NAFDAC destroyed fake drugs and other banned products valued at over N15 billion in the ancient city.

The health sector regulator agency performed the destruction exercise at the Moniya dump site, with representatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Association of Community Pharmacists, and other agencies in attendance.

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The destroyed items included Analgin, Cocodamol, codeine cough syrups, tramadol, oxytocin, falsified vaccines, and other unregistered or counterfeit medicines.

Speaking on the exercise at the Moniya dump site, in Ibadan, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, said the move was part of the agency’s efforts at ridding Nigeria of substandard and dangerous products.

Adeyeye, represented at the event by Martins Iluyomade, Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC, also said NAFDAC intercepted a consignment falsely labelled as diclofenac, which was later found to contain anti-malarial drugs worth millions of Naira recently.

The Director-General of NAFDAC explained the enforcement operations as well uncovered factories producing cosmetic products illegally within a military barracks in Lagos, while other seizures were made across the West African country.

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Adeyeye, therefore, lauded the Nigeria Customs Service for handing over 25 containers of counterfeit pharmaceutical products, including tramadol, artesunate injection, codeine-based syrups, and prohibited frozen chicken, all of which were destroyed during the exercise.

She also stated: “We are resolutely committed to ensuring that food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water and beverages consumed in Nigeria are safe, wholesome and effective. “The destruction of these products eliminates the risk of their re-entry into circulation.”

In his remarks during the exercise also, Samuel Adeyemi, Oyo State NAFDAC Director, reiterated the health agency’s zero tolerance for substandard and unregulated products in Nigeria.

Adeyemi urged consumers to report suspicious items or dealers to tsvbearest office.

He also said: “If you see something, say something.”

The State Director equally appealed to community leaders, health professionals, religious organisations and the media to intensify public education about the dangers of patronising quacks and unauthorised medicine vendors in the country.

Prof. Adeyeye added: “Together, we can protect the health and safety of all Nigerians.”