Customs Hands Over Three Trucks Of Expired Pharmaceutical Products Worth N3.7bn To NAFDAC

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) through the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone 'A' has handed over three trucks of various expired pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

The Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu disclosed this when the new NAFDAC Director in charge of Enforcement and Investigation, Dr. Martin Iluyomade (fsi) paid a courtesy visit to the Headquarters of the Zone in Ikeja Lagos.

According to a press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Unit, Superintendent of Customs, SC Abdullahi Hussian, the CAC reaffirmed the service’s dedication to upholding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the NCS and NAFDAC, noting that the MoU marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against fake and counterfeit products.

"What we are witnessing today is a follow up of the MoU,” he stated, “emphasizing the importance of collaboration among regulatory and security agencies to continuously thwart the smuggling and importation of these harmful consignments.”

Compt. Shuaibu informed that products handed over has a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3,779,500,000. They includes items in sacks and cartons such as Hyergra, Royal Tablets 225, CSC Codine Syrup, Really Extral, Tramadol, Amlodipine, Milk Oil Flavour, and Firegra, among others. The wide range of these products according to him, poses serious risks to public health if not properly regulated.

The Comptroller emphasized that the service remains committed to ensuring the safety and efficacy of medications. He warned that “Expired products must be handled with utmost seriousness", adding that “the potential risks to public health from expired or counterfeit products cannot be understated.

He further assured the public that the service prioritizes the health and safety of Nigerians by preventing expired or counterfeit drugs from circulating in the market.The handover, he noted, is not a one-off event, as more products will be transferred to NAFDAC following the conclusion of ongoing investigations.

He reiterated the importance of the continued collaboration between NCS and NAFDAC. “This collaborative effort sets a precedent for future actions aimed at ensuring that only safe and effective medications are available to the Nigerian population,” he concluded.

In his reaction, Dr Martin Iluyomafe fsi who received the consignment on behalf of the Director General of NAFDAC, General Buba Marwa, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its unwavering commitment to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between both agencies.

He lauded the ongoing collaboration, describing it as a “healthy and strategic partnership” and pledged that NAFDAC would redouble its efforts in the fight against smuggling of counterfeit and fake pharmaceutical products.

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