The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, said on Tuesday the agency is launching legal proceedings against the manufacturer of Lung Detox Tea and the maker of the circulating online viral video that accused the agency of accepting financial inducements to approve the controversial product.
Meanwhile, the agency said while the manufacturer of the unregistered herbal product, “Lung Detox Tea,” is already in their custody, the maker of the video is still at large.
Addressing journalists in Lagos, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Adeyeye, denied these allegations, describing it as a deliberate attempt to damage the agency’s reputation.
Adeyeye emphasised that NAFDAC is committed to protecting public health and will not tolerate such baseless accusations.
She said, “NAFDAC is not perfect, but we will not tolerate unfounded accusations of financial compromise. This legal action will deter others who may consider maligning or making libellous statements against the agency.”
To locate the manufacturer, she revealed that NAFDAC’s enforcement team traced the business to Osogbo, Osun State. “Upon inspection, the shop was found abandoned, with cobwebs, dust, and unregistered herbal products scattered across the premises. These dubious operators often provide fake addresses to evade scrutiny. However, our enforcement team is relentless.
The agency seized official documents, including Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificates, to strengthen its case. The premises were sealed, and an invitation letter was left for the operators.”
Adeyeye emphasised the dangers of unregistered products, citing their potential to bypass critical safety checks.
She recounted past incidents, including counterfeit children’s medicines with zero active ingredients, which posed severe risks to public health. “You don’t need a gun to kill a child. Selling medicine with zero active content is a capital offence, and such individuals deserve to rot in jail,” she said.
Adeyeye also lamented the acute shortage of staff in the agency, saying working with a limited number of as low as 2,000 personnel nationwide was a serious challenge.
“A comparison with the US FDA highlights the disparity: while the FDA’s office for generic products employs 1,000 staff, the entire agency here has just 2,000 personnel covering multiple product categories, including food, drugs, chemicals, and medical devices. Regulatory processes involve exhaustive reviews of applications, with some dossiers exceeding 700 pages. The workload is immense, yet the staffing levels remain insufficient, resulting in long hours and significant strain on employees,” she stated.
She said despite these limitations, NAFDAC staff have shown unwavering commitment to protecting Nigerians from substandard and dangerous products. “Our staff work around the clock. We operate 24/7, conducting undercover operations and enforcement raids to stay ahead of unscrupulous actors. The agency is enhancing surveillance, including monitoring social media for misleading advertisements,” she stated.
She urged the public to disregard the circulating video and avoid patronising unregistered products.
Adeyeye encouraged citizens to report suspicious activities through the agency’s toll-free number while assuring Nigerians that the legal actions against the Lung Detox Tea manufacturer are part of NAFDAC’s broader commitment to safeguarding public health.
“We are not business antagonists, but we will not compromise on the safety of Nigerians. This agency is here to protect, not harm, and we will ensure that offenders face the full weight of the law.”
