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.
