The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has sealed the Idumota open drug market in Lagos State.
This, NAFDAC said was part of its ongoing efforts to eliminate fake and substandard medicines in the country.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Shaba Mohammed, told journalists during an enforcement exercise on Tuesday, that the market was sealed on Sunday.
Mohammed said the action also affected the Ariaria drug market in Aba and the Onitsha drug market in Anambra.
He explained that the week-long enforcement exercise was happening simultaneously in the three markets, which distribute over 80 per cent of medicines in the country.
He added that the operation aimed to stop traders from selling fake, substandard, expired, and rebranded drugs, which pose serious health risks to Nigerians.
He said, “Today’s operation is about substandard medical products in Nigeria’s market. On Sunday night, we sealed the three major open drug markets in the country – Idumota drug market, Onitsha drug market, and Ariaria drug market in Aba.
“We have all the security agencies – Military Police, Secret Service, and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria – along with NAFDAC staff working in these markets.
“Before now, we carried out many investigations and regularly seized products in these markets. But what we are doing this week is to ensure that we remove virtually all counterfeit products from these markets.”
Mohammed said over 5,000 shops, including warehouses and packaging stores, would be inspected during the operation to identify fake medical products.
At the Idumota open drug market, shop owners were seen complying with NAFDAC officials, who went from shop to shop for inspections.
Armed security personnel were also present to ensure a smooth exercise for NAFDAC officials.
Seven fully loaded trucks of suspected fake drugs, expired medicines, and drugs with human body part images were seized during the operation.
NAN
