PCN Seals 430 Drug Shops In Yobe Over Illegal Operations

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 430 pharmaceutical premises in Yobe State over various regulatory breaches, including operating without valid licences and poor storage of drugs.
The affected facilities were among 601 premises inspected during a four-day enforcement exercise conducted across 10 local government areas of the state.

Head of Enforcement, PCN, Suleiman Chiroma, disclosed this at a press conference in Damaturu on the outcome of the enforcement exercise.

He said the inspected premises comprised 34 pharmacies, 267 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores and 300 unregistered or illegal outlets.

According to him, the 430 premises sealed included 20 pharmacies, 110 Patent Medicine Stores and all 300 illegal outlets identified during the exercise.

The council also issued 21 compliance directives to some operators found to have violated regulatory requirements.

Chiroma said the exercise revealed that 50 per cent of the 601 premises inspected were operating illegally, while illegal premises accounted for 70 per cent of all facilities sealed for one or more regulatory breaches.

He further disclosed that only 41 per cent of the pharmacies inspected were fully compliant with regulatory standards, compared to 63 per cent of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor outlets.

He expressed concern over the low number of pharmacies in the state, saying only six per cent of the 601 premises visited were pharmacies.

“This statistic reflects the low level of pharmaceutical care and services in the state,” the council said, warning that the situation could undermine efforts to ensure access to quality medicines for residents.

The enforcement team identified several breaches, including operation without valid PCN licences, poor storage conditions, unauthorised access to controlled medicines and improper training of apprentices.

The council warned that dispensing medicines by unqualified persons and improper handling and storage could contribute to treatment failure, drug misuse and abuse, antimicrobial resistance and avoidable deaths.

It also raised concerns over the potential diversion of controlled medicines into criminal networks, describing the practice as a public health and national security risk.

The enforcement exercise covered Damaturu, Jakusko, Potiskum, Fika, Fune, Nguru, Nangere, Bade, Karasuwa and Machina local government areas.

The PCN said the exercise followed a directive by its Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, to enforce relevant provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act and ensure access to safe pharmaceutical services.

The council reaffirmed its commitment to continuous regulatory oversight of premises involved in the handling, storage and dispensing of medicines, warning that operators who violate existing regulations would face enforcement action.

It also advised members of the public to obtain medicines only from PCN-licensed premises and to verify that valid licences are prominently displayed.

The council commended residents of Yobe State for their cooperation during the enforcement exercise and called for continued collaboration to ensure access to safe, effective and quality-assured medicines.