National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested six manufactures with fake agency numbers and unauthorised products which included energy drink, hair relaxers and insecticides in Lagos and Edo.
Among those arrested are Mr. Yahaya Tanimu, Mr. Abubakar Ibrahim (a.k.a Lamido) and Idris Adamu – prime suspect for unauthorised production of Lamhjib Herbal medicine and forgery with fake agency’s number.
Mr. Yahaya in collaboration with Mr. Ibrahim and Adamu who is based in Sokoto was said to have designed the NAFDAC certificate using a computer, printed and way billed it to Mr. Ibrahim at Kaduna who filled all necessary information and signed.
Ag. Director-General (NAFDAC) Mrs. Yetunde Oluremi Oni made this known to journalists Thursday, at NAFDAC Laboratory, Oshodi office.
Speaking through the Director Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, she said: “Following an intelligence report by the Agency’s Pharmacovigilance and Post Marketing Surveillance Directorate on a facility suspected to be producing Lamjib Herbal Medicine using fake NAFDAC Registration Number. NAFDAC Enforcement team raided the company located at Mile 12 area of Lagos; the factory was closed down and arrests were made.
“During interrogation, the suspect claimed that the product is duly registered with NAFDAC and even tendered registration certificate to the investigators. Investigation further revealed that the NAFDAC Registration certificate is fake,” the NAFDAC boss added.
In the second arrest, she said, “a team of Investigation and Enforcement officers and Federal Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food carried out raid operations at Benin, Edo state and Warri in Delta State.
“The operation commenced at Ikpoba Hill Market, Benin City, where the team arrested a man named Louis Ojukwu selling a wide variety of hair relaxers inside a wheelbarrow. The suspect led the team to his home, a rented room which also serves as factory for the production of the counterfeits where packaging and other production materials were recovered and evacuated to NAFDAC warehouse for further investigation.
“The team proceeded to other locations in the city and discovered fake Read-A-Dream insecticide in three shops: B .B stores 3 Itebite Street, Mission Road; CTC stores, 4 off mission Road, Benin city and N0.10 Mission Road all in Benin, Edo State.
“However, the entire suspects involved in the case pointed at one Sebastian as the main supplier of the offending product. Mr. Sebastian in his submissions, admitted claims made by other suspects and further added to have been supplied by a smuggler from Benin Republic,” Oni said, adding that investigation is equally ongoing.
