Nigeria – NAFDAC Removes N5bn Worth of Flood-Affected Drugs in Borno

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has successfully conducted an operation to remove food and drugs compromised by the recent flood in Borno State, northern Nigeria, ensuring the contaminated items do not return to the market.

In a statement issued on Tuesday via its social media, NAFDAC revealed that the mop-up operation, directed by its Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, led to the removal of compromised products worth over N5 billion.

The flood, which occurred on September 10 following the collapse of the Alau Dam spillway, resulted in the deaths of 30 people, displaced over 500,000 residents, and destroyed properties, including several drug warehouses in the Gamboru area of Maiduguri.

The agency, alongside officials from the Borno State Ministry of Health, uncovered multiple neglected warehouses where millions of naira worth of drugs was damaged.

These compromised items were seized during a raid involving the Borno State Commissioner of Health, Baba Malam Gana, and NAFDAC’s North-East Director, Kenneth Azikiwe.

In the statement, NAFDAC emphasized that its swift action was essential to prevent contaminated food and drugs from being sold to the public, which could lead to a potential outbreak of diseases.

The mop-up operation targeted key markets in Maiduguri, including the Gamboru Drug and Food Market, Monday Market, Open Air-Theatre Drug Market, and Gwange Drug Market.

NAFDAC’s North-East Director, Mr. Kenneth Azikiwe, stressed the public health risk posed by the flood, saying, “The recent floods have posed a significant risk to public health by contaminating food and drug supplies. Our swift action in these markets is crucial to ensure that only safe and uncontaminated products are available to the public.”

The agency also announced that all manufacturing facilities in flood-affected areas would remain closed until they undergo a reassessment of their Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). NAFDAC will continue its surveillance and monitoring across Maiduguri to ensure no compromised products are reintroduced.