Oluchi Chibuzor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A (FOU A) has said that it has handed over various expired pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Head of the unit, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu stated this when the new NAFDAC Director in charge of enforcement and investigation, Dr. Martin Iluyomade paid him a courtesy visit.

While addressing journalists at the FOU A headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, Shuaibu reaffirmed the service’s dedication to upholding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the NCS and NAFDAC. He noted 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, “emphasising the importance of collaboration among regulatory and security agencies to continuously thwart the smuggling and importation of these harmful consignments.”

He said a total of three trucks filled with various brands of expired pharmaceutical products were being handed over. “These include 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 poses serious risks to public health if not properly regulated.It was revealed that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the expired pharmaceuticals stood at N3,779,500,000,” he said.

He emphasised that the service remains committed to ensuring the safety and efficacy of medications. “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.”

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.

Speaking, Iluyomade commended the NCS 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 the smuggling of counterfeit and fake pharmaceutical products.

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