ABUJA: The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has raised concerns about threats to her life and the lives of her staff.
She revealed these alarming developments while urging authorities to provide protection for the agency’s operatives, who face considerable dangers in the line of their duties. In light of these threats, Adeyeye sent a “Save Our Souls” (SOS) message to the government, seeking immediate action for their safety.
Speaking at a press conference at the State House in Abuja, Adeyeye emphasized the dangers faced by NAFDAC officials, recalling a previous incident where one of her staff members in Kano had his child kidnapped in retaliation for their work. Fortunately, the child was safely returned.
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Adeyeye also shared her own experience, revealing that she has had two policemen stationed at her residence 24/7 for her security in both Abuja and Lagos. Despite the protection, she expressed dissatisfaction with this arrangement, as it restricts her personal freedom.
The NAFDAC DG also highlighted the agency’s recent large-scale enforcement operation, which is said to be the largest in the agency’s history. The operation took place across three major open drug markets in Onitsha, Aba, and Lagos.
During the operation, NAFDAC seized vast quantities of counterfeit, expired, unregistered, and falsified medical products.
Adeyeye disclosed that the seized goods included critical medical supplies, such as USAID and UNFPA-donated antiretroviral drugs and condoms, which were found to be either expired or improperly stored.
The NAFDAC chief also called for stronger penalties for drug offenders, advocating for the introduction of life sentences and even the death penalty for those involved in the production or distribution of counterfeit and illicit drugs.
She urged the National Assembly to expedite amendments to relevant laws, including the NAFDAC Act and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act, to incorporate these severe penalties.
Adeyeye went on to explain that the ongoing crackdown on illicit drug trade had led to the seizure of 87 truckloads of banned and substandard medical products, valued at around N1 trillion, though this figure could increase after a full assessment.
The operation was conducted as part of NAFDAC’s National Action Plan (NAP 2.0) for 2023-2027, which aims to eliminate counterfeit medicines, improve regulatory compliance, and protect public health.
A total of 1,100 security operatives, including military personnel, police, and DSS agents, were involved in the operation, which began on February 9, 2025.
During the operation, authorities uncovered major violations in drug storage and distribution, including the diversion and resale of donated medical supplies.
In addition to counterfeit drugs, a significant volume of narcotics, such as Tramadol, Rohypnol, and Diazepam, was seized—drugs commonly linked to rising abuse, crime, and insecurity.
The sheer amount of these narcotics was deemed a threat to national security.
So far, 40 arrests have been made, and those implicated will face prosecution. NAFDAC is also compiling a database of offending businesses for further legal action, and the seized drugs will be publicly destroyed in the three cities involved in the operation.in addition,
NAFDAC plans to relocate open drug markets to six Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) across Nigeria within the next year to curb the spread of counterfeit and substandard drugs.
