The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has discovered a fake drug factory in Delta State.
The agency’s team raided a three-story unfinished building in Azagba Ogwash near Issele-Azagba, where illegal drugs and injectables were being made.
The building belongs to a man named Ekene Igwe, who is suspected of producing fake drugs. The ground floor of the building was used as both a factory and a home.
During the raid, the NAFDAC team found many illegal items including a large drum filled with vials in liquid, fake medicines, expired drugs being repackaged with new labels, and many injectable drugs like chloroquine phosphate, petazine, and gentamycin.
NAFDAC arrested Blessing Igwe, the wife of the main suspect, who is currently missing. The agency also identified other people living in the building.
The team leader, Babatunji Omoyeni, said they traced the fake drugs to a drug shop in Ogbo-Ogu, Bridge Head market in Onitsha, where these products were sold to unsuspecting buyers.
The agency acted after receiving tips from concerned members of the public. They are still looking for the main suspect, but the wife will soon face court for her role in the illegal drug business.
Dr Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director for the South East Zone, said the agency plans to seize the building used for making and relabelling expired drugs.
”I feel very sad for our country and the kind of things that are playing out. Only God knows how many people have d!ed from consumption of the illicit drugs produced by these merchants who are looking for money at all cost, and perpetrating these heinous crimes using all manners of avenue, including inciting the public against what NAFDAC is doing; using ill-gotten money after killing a lot of people.Nigerians need to be very vigilant,” Iluyomade said.
He explained that the main suspect has been selling fake drugs in the Onitsha market for many years. NAFDAC continues its fight against illegal drug production, which has been a problem for a long time.
“What these drug merchants have done since they knew that Ogbo-Ogu market is no longer safe for their illicit drug business, they have moved out to neighbouring palaces like Asaba in uncompleted buildings, relabelling injectables that expired far back seven years ago” he noted
“This time, NAFDAC is coming forward with solution to make sure that Nigerians are safe and we are able to safeguard the health of the public,” Iluyomade assured.
