The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illicit drug and injectables factory in Delta State.
The illicit drug factory included a big drum containing vials soaked in liquid substance, adulterated drugs, rebranding expired drugs, including a large quantity of chloroquine phosphate 322 mg/5ml, petazine injection 50mg//2ml, gentamycin injection 280mg/2ml and many other contraband injectables with new labelling.
The agency enforcement team raided a three-storey uncompleted building at Azagba Ogwash near Issele-Azagba in Delta, where the drugs are produced.
The uncompleted building belonging to the illicit drug producer, one Ekene Igwe, has a factory on the ground floor, which is also used as a residential apartment.
The agency enforcement team, who led journalists to the scene, arrested one Blessing Igwe, wife of the prime suspect who is at large and also profiled some other occupants of the uncompleted building.
The team’s head, Babatunji Omoyeni, deputy director in charge of NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement of the Federal Taskforce for South-South and South East, said that the agency had successfully tracked a drug shop at Ogbo-Ogu, Bridge Head Market, in Onitsha, where illicit drugs are sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Omoyeni said the agency recorded the breakthrough following a tip-off from concerned members of the public.
While revealing that efforts were being intensified to track the prime suspect, the NAFDAC enforcement officer said the arrested wife of the culprit would be arraigned before a competent court for trial and prosecution over her level of involvement in the illicit drug business.
NAFDAC Director for South East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade, said the plan is to seize the storey building used for the illicit drug manufacturing and relabelling of 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 died from the consumption of the illicit drugs produced by these merchants who are looking for money at all costs, and perpetrating these heinous crimes using all manner of avenues, including inciting the public against what NAFDAC is doing, and using ill-got money after killing a lot of people. Nigerians need to be very vigilant.
“The prime suspect at large is one of the major traders at Ogbo-Ogu Bridge Head drug market in Onitsha, who has been in this illicit drug business. What these drug merchants have done since they knew that Ogbo-Ogu market is no longer safe for their illegal drug business is that they have moved out to neighbouring palaces like Asaba in uncompleted buildings, relabelling injectables that expired seven years ago.
“This issue of illicit drug business has been on for several years, and there has not been any solution. This time, NAFDAC is coming forward with a solution to ensure that Nigerians are safe, and we can safeguard the public’s health,” Iluyomade assured.
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