NAFDAC destroys 80 containers of fake medicines and foods nationwide, vows tougher enforcement after Lagos market attack on officials

NAFDAC has announced the destruction of more than 80 containers of fake and substandard medicines and food products as part of its ongoing nationwide enforcement drive against counterfeit goods.

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The disclosure was made by Dr Martins Iluyomade, Director of Investigation and Enforcement and Chairman of the Federal Task Force, during a press briefing in Lagos on Saturday.

He also confirmed that the operation followed a violent attack on NAFDAC officials at the Trade Fair market on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

According to NAFDAC, the agency’s intensified operations target the persistent influx of fake and substandard medicines and foods into Nigerian markets, particularly in commercial centres like Lagos.

“Currently, we are destroying over 80 containers of fake and substandard products,” Iluyomade revealed. “The moral decadence in Nigeria is so much, and a lot of people benefit from this illicit trade.

The rate is alarming, but we will continue to mop up these markets to reduce substandard goods to the barest minimum.”

He described the attack on enforcement officers as a major threat to regulatory operations, noting that about ten operational vehicles worth over ₦25 billion were vandalised during the incident.

Despite the risks, he emphasised that the agency remains determined to safeguard public health.

Iluyomade commended the Nigeria Customs Service, led by Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi, for its collaboration and for handing over several containers of counterfeit medicines for destruction.

He also praised the Nigeria Police and the Military for their professionalism during recent raids.

Several cartons of fake, banned, and unwholesome products were seized under the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C.34 LFN 2004.

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NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians from the dangers of substandard and counterfeit products, vowing to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations nationwide despite growing risks to its personnel.