By kawaekwune Jeffrey
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit and substandard products worth over N2.6 billion at the Enugu State Waste Management Authority Dump Site. The products, which included rice and assorted drinks, were seized across the five South East states of Nigeria—Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Enugu, and Abia.
Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director General, represented by the South East Zonal Director, Iluyomade Martins, stated that the destroyed products had a street value of N2,664,548,683.33. She warned that the consumption of these counterfeit goods could have compromised the health of over three million people and increased the already heavy burden on Nigeria’s health institutions. The sale of these items, she added, would have exacerbated poverty by forcing individuals to spend their income on medical treatments rather than improving their livelihoods.
Adeyeye emphasized that NAFDAC is committed to ensuring that Nigerians can purchase regulated products without fear of encountering substandard, adulterated, or fake items. She warned merchants of counterfeit goods that it will no longer be “business as usual” and thanked other government agencies for their cooperation in the effort. She urged the public to report any suspicious activities involving counterfeit products to NAFDAC offices for investigation.
