The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raided an illegal herbal medicine factory in Agege, Lagos, for allegedly producing unapproved products using a registration number belonging to a cough syrup.
The factory, located at No. 3 Popoola Street, Isale-Oja, Agege, reportedly belongs to Hajiya Aishetu Adams, a Ghanaian national.
NAFDAC said the facility produced three main products: a blood purifier, a medication marketed for sexually transmitted diseases and a general-purpose herbal mixture.
The raid followed a monthlong investigation.
An initial operation on Oct. 16 led to the arrest of Abdulazeez Saidu, the factory manager.
A follow-up operation on Thursday targeted the facility to remove the remaining products and arrest additional suspects, but no further arrests were made.
Adams was reportedly in Ghana attending the burial of an in-law when the operation took place.
Speaking during the raid, Pharm. Edith Joseph, deputy director of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, said the factory’s location made the operation difficult.
“The products and the factory are operating illegally.
"They manufacture in the open air.
"I can tell you for a fact that NAFDAC did not approve this place,” Joseph said.
She urged Nigerians to verify medicines before use through NAFDAC’s website or its offices.
Also speaking, Christiana Obiazikwor, deputy director of public relations at NAFDAC, said the agency was intensifying its public awareness campaign, NAFDAC and Your Health, across the country.
She said the programme was being recorded in different local languages, with a particular focus on rural communities.
Obiazikwor advised consumers to look beyond registration numbers when checking medicines, urging them to verify other product details, including batch numbers, manufacturing dates and the manufacturer’s address.
Comments
Add a comment