₦airaland Forum

No unconditional reopening of drug markets – NAFDAC

…Payment of Investigative Charges Remains Non-Negotiable – Adeyeye

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has refuted online claims suggesting it has unconditionally reopened Nigeria’s open drug markets, describing the reports as misleading.

Speaking during a press conference in Lagos on Friday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reiterated that all reopenings remain conditional on compliance with regulatory requirements and the payment of investigative charges by affected shop owners.

“There is no unconditional opening of any market or shop,” Adeyeye asserted. “NAFDAC is standing strong. We are not caving in. It is time to protect our people. It is time to stop women dying.”


She addressed concerns about a trending Google news headline suggesting the agency had relaxed enforcement, saying such reports were false and do not reflect the agency’s position.

Updating the media on recent enforcement efforts in major open drug markets such as Idumota (Lagos), Ariaria (Aba), and the Onitsha Bridgehead market, Adeyeye revealed that over ₦1 trillion worth of counterfeit, expired, falsified, and substandard medicines—including illicit narcotics—were seized between February 9 and March 27, 2025.

“At the Bridgehead market alone, we evacuated 137 40-foot truckloads of illicit drugs, including 10 full truckloads of unregistered Tramadol,” she disclosed.

Prof. Adeyeye emphasized that all affected traders must report to NAFDAC’s Onitsha office to collect their investigative charges and sign an undertaking acknowledging the temporary status of their shop reopenings.

“It is simple: you come, pay the charges, and sign the agreement. Then we reopen your shop—temporarily and under strict conditions. You are not staying there permanently.”



She also pointed out that none of the affected shops had valid site licenses from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), a core condition for operation. While acknowledging that a few shops may have been compliant, she explained the blanket closure was necessary to enforce broad accountability.


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“When nine out of ten shops are in violation, we cannot leave one open. This action was essential to restore order.”


Adeyeye noted that those resisting compliance were primarily linked to the illegal importation and distribution of narcotics. “These individuals are bringing in narcotics to destroy the minds of our youth. We must stop that.”

She further clarified that the current enforcement is in line with a presidential directive aimed at relocating open drug markets to Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWC) across the country. She cited Kano as a successful example, where traders were relocated after a decade-long legal tussle.

“For 10 years, they took PCN to court, halting regulation. But a landmark judgment ended that. With the support of 150 security personnel, we enforced their relocation to the Kano CWC.”

Adeyeye said the crackdown reflects Nigeria’s commitment to international health and trade standards. “We want to trade globally. But that requires following global practices. If not, we cannot boost our GDP or create jobs.”


Highlighting the dangers of unregulated drug markets, she warned that patients with chronic illnesses are at risk of death due to counterfeit medicines.

“Someone with hypertension or diabetes taking substandard medicine from these markets could die. That is what we are trying to prevent.”

She concluded emphatically: “Whatever is circulating online about unconditional reopening is false. NAFDAC is not caving in. We remain firm in our commitment to public health and safety.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/05/no-unconditional-reopening-of-drug-markets-nafdac/#google_vignette

“At the Bridgehead market alone, we evacuated 137 40-foot truckloads of illicit drugs, including 10 full truckloads of unregistered Tramadol,” she disclosed.

“When nine out of ten shops are in violation, we cannot leave one open. This action was essential to restore order.”

NAFDAC is back! Not even the Amazon , Late Prof Dora Akunyuli could break this powerful Southeast fake drugs cartel.

Today, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has broken and still breaking them with the full political will support from President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Patriotic Nigerians stand with NAFDAC!

The avoidable and huge cost of investigative scientific tests used to establish that their illicit drugs are unwholesome will be refunded by them.

These investigative scientific tests are expensive, for cream viscosity test alone, among several tests to prove that they are safe and efficacious, costs like N25k to run a sample while some investigative tests run into hundreds of thousands of naira along with manpower costs incurred, it's absolutely fair and lawful that after the taxpayers funds was used to prove the crime, if those merchants of death, if they are not jailed, at least those benefitting from selling these illicit and fake drugs must reimburse NAFDAC and taxpayers along with standard fines for breaching the rules. Pharmaceutical business is not salt and pepper or car spare parts business.

Those who are ready to do the right thing should leave the company of those not ready to comply. If you are just one out of 10 in the company of bad people you keep, you are equally a bad person.. "Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are" goes a popular saying.

All the enemies of Nigeria will always lose. They will lose las las. May God bless Nigeria for ever!

“For 10 years, they took PCN to court, halting regulation. But a landmark judgment ended that. With the support of 150 security personnel, we enforced their relocation to the Kano CWC.”

Those who don't want to reimburse taxpayers and pay fine should go to court. They will lose like those in Kano.

Is investigative charges constitutional? Many of those shop owners have nothing to do with fake drugs. Why mandate every shop to pay? NAFDAC! This is not fair!


Genius J

“When nine out of ten shops are in violation, we cannot leave one open..."

How does this make any sense? Very evil senseless set of animals. This would affect the cost of drugs in the market that are already too high.

The LORD is our Shepherd

After cashing out

Criminals

Rogues in government uniform

Good this is being cleared

Thief

Good. Say no to fake drugs

NAFDAC after Akinyuli is rubbish

So what would the money you’re charging for ??

Criminal nafdac

Everything about Tinubu is Fraudulent, please can someone explain what’s investigative charges? Like are the supposed to pay for your investigations?

Should the FG scrap NAFDAC so everyone can start producing and selling anything they like?

Apcshit:
NAFDAC after Akinyuli is rubbish

The problem with nafdac is corruption.

APC have taught most Nigerians criminality is the only way.

Why is it that when nafdac have been called out, all this shit is coming too.

2027.Nigerians vs APC

Anything to clean up the market is welcomed. Ride on NAFDAC.

Don't cave in to their emotional blackmail. Stand your ground.

FreeStuffsNG:
“At the Bridgehead market alone, we evacuated 137 40-foot truckloads of illicit drugs, including 10 full truckloads of unregistered Tramadol,” she disclosed.

“When nine out of ten shops are in violation, we cannot leave one open. This action was essential to restore order.”

NAFDAC is back! Not even the Amazon , Late Prof Dora Akunyuli could break this Southeast fake drugs cartel.

Today, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, is breaking them and enjoying full political will from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Those who are ready to do the right thing should leave the company of those not ready to comply. It you are just one out of 10 in the company of bad people you keep, you are equally a bad person.. "Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are goes" a popular saying.

All the enemies of Nigeria will always lose. They will lose las las.

These people are on a very dangerous mission.

Let's wait as they will start to abuse the Prof.

Hmmm

Nice one

FreeStuffsNG:
“At the Bridgehead market alone, we evacuated 137 40-foot truckloads of illicit drugs, including 10 full truckloads of unregistered Tramadol,” she disclosed.

“When nine out of ten shops are in violation, we cannot leave one open. This action was essential to restore order.”

NAFDAC is back! Not even the Amazon , Late Prof Dora Akunyuli could break this powerful Southeast fake drugs cartel.

Today, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, is breaking them and enjoying full political will from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Patriotic Nigerians stand with NAFDAC!

Those who are ready to do the right thing should leave the company of those not ready to comply. It you are just one out of 10 in the company of bad people you keep, you are equally a bad person.. "Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are goes" a popular saying.

All the enemies of Nigeria will always lose. They will lose las las. May God bless Nigeria for ever!

Thieves. What is investigative charges? Same Akunyili they shot in that Market? You all are criminals.

Ole

creativejagaban:
These people are on a very dangerous mission.

Let's wait as they will start to abuse the Prof.

What they are attempting to do with NAFDAC is simply what they did with JAMB; internal SABOTAGE to paint the organisation in a negative light and paint themselves as VICTIMS.

They are naturally criminally minded people, but they have failed.

nony43:
Thieves. What is investigative charges? Same Akunyili they shot in that Market? You all are criminals.

Smh. Go and open it nah.

Instead of you to ask so you can be enlightened you want the criminals to continue on their killing spree. NAFDAC will not bow! Just to analyze samples and verify if they meet standards alone costs a lot! Just to do one test can cost up to N100K! After NAFDAC uses taxpayers funds to complete the test and discover that they are unwholesome, who should pay the cost for the investigation? Same taxpayers they are killing?

NAFDAC and patriotic Nigerians stand with NAFDAC!

Their kinsmen are already insulting the NAFDAC DG. Same people who tried to kill Dora Akunyili.

nony43:
Thieves. What is investigative charges? Same Akunyili they shot in that Market? You all are criminals.

No payment, no reopening.
Next time you see your neighbours selling fake drugs, you will open your mouth.

FreeStuffsNG:
“At the Bridgehead market alone, we evacuated 137 40-foot truckloads of illicit drugs, including 10 full truckloads of unregistered Tramadol,” she disclosed.

“When nine out of ten shops are in violation, we cannot leave one open. This action was essential to restore order.”

NAFDAC is back! Not even the Amazon , Late Prof Dora Akunyuli could break this powerful Southeast fake drugs cartel.

Today, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has broken and still breaking them with the full political will support from President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Patriotic Nigerians stand with NAFDAC!

Those who are ready to do the right thing should leave the company of those not ready to comply. If you are just one out of 10 in the company of bad people you keep, you are equally a bad person.. "Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are" goes a popular saying.

All the enemies of Nigeria will always lose. They will lose las las. May God bless Nigeria for ever!

Couldn't you have made your point (that's if you have any) without mentioning Dora's name and bringing in some sort of unnecessary comparison?

This is just an avenue to exploit these business men,when you are caught selling illegal or counterfeit drugs and found guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction,then you face the wrath of the law but telling people to pay an exploitative charges to oil your hands and that of those giving you orders from Abuja,is completely unacceptable.
What do you think #700,000 will do to the main barons running the drug cartel,it is simply the ordinary businessman trying to make ends meet,are the ones suffering. The culprit can easily pay the money and continue with the sale of these illicit drugs,why are we not questioning how these drugs are passing through our ports or are we celebrating our own inefficiencies,your guess is as good as mine.