Customs FOU 'A' Hands Over ₦3.7bn Worth of Expired Pharmaceuticals to NAFDAC in Lagos
Kathy Kyari
The Federal Operations Unit Zone A (FOU A) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially handed over expired pharmaceutical products worth ₦3.7 billion to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Lagos.
The handover took place on Tuesday at the FOU A headquarters in Ikeja during a courtesy visit by the new NAFDAC Director of Enforcement and Investigation, Dr. Martin Iluyomade. Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu, Controller of FOU A, presented the seized items in the presence of his management team and the visiting NAFDAC delegation.
Addressing journalists at the event, Comptroller Shuaibu reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NCS and NAFDAC.
“What we are witnessing today is a follow up of the MoU emphasizing the importance of collaboration among regulatory and security agencies to continuously thwart the smuggling and importation of these harmful consignments,” he said.
According to Shuaibu, three trucks loaded with various expired pharmaceuticals were handed over. The items, packaged in sacks and cartons, included Hyergra, Royal Tablets 225, CSC Codine Syrup, Really Extral, Tramadol, Amlodipine, Milk Oil Flavour, and Firegra, among others.
He explained that the wide range of these products posed serious health risks if left unchecked, noting that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the pharmaceuticals stood at ₦3,779,500,000.
“Expired products must be handled with utmost seriousness,” he warned, adding that “the potential risks to public health from expired or counterfeit products can not be understated.”
The Comptroller assured that the NCS remains committed to safeguarding the health of Nigerians by preventing the circulation of expired or counterfeit drugs. He further stressed that the handover was not an isolated incident, as more products would be transferred to NAFDAC after ongoing investigations.
“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 added.
Receiving the consignments on behalf of the NAFDAC Director General, Dr. Iluyomade’s representative commended the NCS for its commitment to implementing the MoU.
He described the collaboration as a “healthy and strategic partnership” and pledged that NAFDAC would intensify its efforts to combat the smuggling of counterfeit and fake pharmaceutical products.
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