The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has expressed concerns over threats to her life and the safety of NAFDAC officials due to the agency’s intensified fight against fake and substandard drugs.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, February 26, Adeyeye revealed that officials constantly face danger while cracking down on counterfeit pharmaceutical products. She urged authorities to provide better protection for the agency’s personnel.
“One of our staff members in Kano had his child kidnapped because he refused to compromise. Luckily, the child escaped,” she disclosed.
Biggest Seizure in NAFDAC’s History
Adeyeye announced that NAFDAC’s recent enforcement operations led to the seizure of 87 truckloads of substandard and expired medical products, including antiretroviral drugs and condoms, from major drug markets in Lagos, Anambra, and Abia. The confiscated items are valued at over N1 trillion, making it the agency’s largest seizure ever.
Calls for Death Penalty for Fake Drug Dealers
The NAFDAC DG reiterated her call for capital punishment for those involved in counterfeit drug production and distribution, describing them as “merchants of death” who put millions of lives at risk.
She also revealed the personal cost of her job, stating that she now requires 24-hour police protection in both Abuja and Lagos.
“I have two policemen living with me in Abuja and Lagos. I don’t have a life anymore. I can’t go anywhere without escorts. That’s not how I want to live, but I have no choice,” she lamented.
Despite the threats, Adeyeye vowed that NAFDAC would not relent in its mission to rid Nigeria of fake drugs.
