HURIWA Calls for Crackdown on Officials Aiding Importation of Fake Drugs, Urges Life Jail Terms
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NADFAC) , Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Custom Services to flush out their operatives and officers “who looked the other way and allowed the importation of fake and substandard foods and drugs into Nigeria. “
The National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a press statement said “under the second schedule, legislative powers, part 1, Exclusive legislative list, Article 21 provides that drugs are under the regulatory control and purview of the federal government which makes it imperative that officials of the federal government who facilitate importation of substandard drugs must be identified, investigated, arrested, prosecuted and punished in strict compliance with the due process of the law.”
He said that law enforcement agents who conspire with importers of fake drugs should face a lifetime jail terms without any possibility of early release. Similarly, manufacturers of fake drugs and substandard products if caught should be jailed for life.
Besides, HURIWA has asked the NAFDAC’s DG, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, to step up her personal security, scrutinise what she eats and drinks, because if you fight drug lords who are kingpins of the underworld, you must of necessity be many steps ahead of them in terms of your personal security.
HURIWA recalled that attempts were made on the life of the then NAFDAC’S DG Professor (Mrs) Dora Akunyili and she allegedly died of mysterious illness just as her husband was suspiciously gunned down in Onitsha, the same place Mrs. Dora Akunyili waged relentless war against fake and substandard drugs.
He recalled that the DG of NAFDAC Mrs. Mojisola Adeyeye had stated thus:
“We have closed over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 shops in Lagos and 4,000 shops in Aba since we commenced these operations.”
Mrs. Adeyeye added that the enforcement operations at the three markets which are the hub of distributions of over 80 per cent of medications, will rid the country of falsified and unregistered drugs.
The NAFDAC boss also revealed that the enforcement actions at the three markets was planned over a year as covert operations.
HURIWA recalled that NAFDAC on Feb.10, commenced enforcement operations at the Idumota open drugs market, Ariaria drug market in Aba and Bridge market in Onitsha.
Adeyeye said that over 20 trucks of substandard drugs were evacuated at different locations in Aba, not less than 30 trucks of confiscated drugs were seized in Onitsha while 27 trucks were evacuated at the Idumota market.
