Wednesday, May 28, 2025 -The National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) has uncovered illicit drugs and injectables factory in Delta State.
The agency’s enforcement team raided a three storey
uncompleted building at Azagba Ogwash near Issele-Azagba in Delta where the
drugs were produced. Owned by one Ekene Igwe, a suspected illicit drug
producer, the uncompleted building has a factory on the ground flat which was
also used as a residential apartment.
Items recovered from the factory include a big drum
containing vials soaked in liquid substance, adulterated drugs, expired drugs
being rebranded including large quantity of chloroquine phosphate 322 mg/5ml,
petazine injection 50mg//2ml, gentamycin injection 280mg/2ml and many other
contraband injectables with new labelling.
The agency enforcement team who led journalists to the scene
arrested one Blessing Igwe, wife of the prime suspect, currently at large and
also profiled some other occupants of the uncompleted building
Head of the team, Deputy Director in charge of NAFDAC
Investigation and Enforcement of Federal Taskforce for South South, and South
East, Babatunji Omoyeni, said the agency had successfully tracked a drug shop
at Ogbo-Ogu, Bridge Head market, in Onitsha where illicit drugs produced were
sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Omoyeni said the agency recorded the breakthrough following
a tipoff from concerned members of the public.
While revealing that efforts were being intensified to track
the prime suspect, the NAFDAC enforcement officer said the wife would be
arraigned before a competent court over her level of involvement in the illicit
drug business.
NAFDAC Director for South East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade
also revealed the plans to seize the storey building used for the illicit drug
manufacturing and relabelling of expired drugs.
”I feel very
sad for our country and the kind of things that are playing out. Only God knows
how many people have d!ed from consumption of the illicit drugs produced by
these merchants who are looking for money at all cost, and perpetrating these
heinous crimes using all manners of avenue, including inciting the public
against what NAFDAC is doing; using ill-gotten money after killing a lot of
people.Nigerians need to be very vigilant,” Iluyomade said.
He described the fugitive prime suspect as one of the major
traders at Ogbo-Ogu Bridge Head drug Market in Onitsha who has been in this
illicit drug business.
“What these
drug merchants have done since they knew that Ogbo-Ogu market is no longer safe
for their illicit drug business, they have moved out to neighbouring palaces
like Asaba in uncompleted buildings, relabelling injectables that expired far
back seven years ago” he noted
Iluyomade added that the issue of illicit drug business has
been on for several years without solution.
“This time,
NAFDAC is coming forward with solution to make sure that Nigerians are safe and
we are able to safeguard the health of the public,” Iluyomade assured.
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