USAID-Donated Items Among N1 Trillion Illicit Drugs Seized by NAFDAC

• NAFDAC seized 87 truckloads of banned, expired, and substandard drugs, including antiretrovirals and condoms, in a historic nationwide crackdown
• The operation uncovered shocking storage violations, with life-saving medications stored in toilets, rooftops, and extreme heat, risking public health
• NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, revealed counterfeiters have targeted her life and staff, advocating for stricter penalties and relocation of open drug markets

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has made a groundbreaking seizure of 87 truckloads of banned, expired, and substandard medical products in a sweeping nationwide operation.

The confiscated items included antiretroviral drugs donated by USAID and UNFPA, male and female condoms, and other pharmaceuticals.

The operation, which began on February 9, 2025, involved over 1,100 security operatives, including military personnel, police, and Department of State Services agents, and targeted Nigeria’s three major open drug markets: Ariaria and Eziukwu in Aba, Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, and Idumota Drug Market in Lagos.

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NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed the details during a briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

She revealed that the operation, part of the agency’s National Action Plan 2.0 (2023-2027), uncovered shocking violations of drug storage and distribution regulations.

Among the discoveries were diverted donated medical supplies, including antiretroviral drugs and condoms meant for Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS response, which were found expired and repackaged for sale.

These life-saving medications were either improperly stored or deliberately resold for profit, jeopardizing global efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in the country.

Adeyeye emphasized the dire storage conditions, stating:

“Some of the products seized include large quantities of donated antiretroviral drugs, expired female and male condoms by USAID and UNFPA, and other pharmaceuticals. These products were discovered stacked in toilets, under staircases, and on rooftops at extremely high temperatures, without regard for cold chain storage requirements.”

She added that thermolabile products, such as oxytocin injections, were stored in conditions that could render them ineffective or toxic.

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Banned drugs seized in raid

The operation also uncovered vast quantities of controlled and banned substances, including Tafradol, Tramadol, Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), Nitrazepam, and Diazepam.

Adeyeye warned that the volume of narcotics seized was enough to destabilize the country’s security.

“Warehouses were filled to the brim with these drugs, stored in windowless rooms with temperatures as high as 40°C, creating a high risk of chemical degradation into toxic substances,” she explained.

The NAFDAC chief described the operation as the agency’s most significant in history, estimating the value of the seized drugs at N1 trillion. However, she noted that the final figure could be higher once a comprehensive assessment is completed.

“It is N1 trillion, but this may be an underestimation. We will have a clearer picture once the operation concludes,” she said.

The crackdown has not been without risks. Adeyeye revealed that counterfeiters have targeted her life and those of her staff.

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“I have two policemen living in my house 24/7 in Abuja and Lagos. I can’t go anywhere without police escorts. This isn’t my way of living, but I don’t have a choice because we must save our country,” she said.

She also recounted an incident where a staff member’s child was kidnapped in Kano as retaliation for the employee’s work, though the child later escaped.

So far, 40 arrests have been made, with suspects facing prosecution. Adeyeye stressed the importance of relocating the open drug markets to designated Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) within the next year.

“My life is in danger,” NAFDAC DG raises fresh alarm

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, had raised the alarm over threats to her life and the safety of agency staff.

She called on the federal government to intervene and urged authorities to protect them as they navigate hazardous conditions in their duties.

Source: Legit.ng