The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has highlighted a significant threat to national security posed by drug hawkers, who are identified as primary distributors of narcotic medicines to criminal networks including armed bandits, insurgents, kidnappers, and armed robbers.
During a media sensitization workshop addressing the hazards of drug hawking and the improper ripening of fruits using Calcium Carbide, Prof. Moji Christianah Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, expressed deep concern over the illicit trade.
The awareness workshop, organized by NAFDAC’s North-East Zone in Bauchi, aimed to emphasize the severity of the issue, as these illicit activities endanger public safety and well-being.
Prof. Adeyeye emphasized that a substantial portion of the drugs being sold fail to meet the essential quality, safety, and efficacy standards required for regulated medications. She reaffirmed NAFDAC’s unwavering commitment to eradicating this detrimental trade.
In her address, Prof. Adeyeye stated, “Medications are crucial and life-saving products that should not be peddled in public spaces like ordinary commodities. Any drug hawker apprehended by NAFDAC will face legal action and imprisonment. Our Enforcement Officers are actively engaged in a nationwide operation targeting this issue.”
She further called for collaboration and support from law enforcement agencies, journalists, and concerned citizens to eliminate this harmful practice, asserting that NAFDAC will spare no effort to ensure the country is free from this perilous trade.
Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, representing Prof. Adeyeye at the event, underscored the urgent need for stringent regulatory measures to counter the menace of drug hawking and the sale of chemically ripened fruits, both of which jeopardize unsuspecting individuals’ lives.
