NAFDAC inaugurates task force to combat fake drugs in Kano

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Key points

• National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control sets up seven-member task force in Kano.
• Initiative targets fake drugs, counterfeit products, and unsafe food circulation.
• Task force empowered to conduct raids, seizures, and prosecutions.

Main story

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has inaugurated a seven-member task force in Kano State to combat the circulation of counterfeit drugs and unwholesome food products.

Speaking at the inauguration, NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, described the move as a strategic intervention to strengthen enforcement and protect public health. She was represented by the agency’s North-West Zonal Director, Fraden Nantim-Mullah.

Adeyeye said the task force would operate under NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate as a federal operational arm, tasked with tackling the proliferation of substandard regulated products.

“Kano’s status as a major commercial hub makes it vulnerable to the manufacture, importation, and distribution of substandard and falsified products across local and regional markets,” she said.

The issues

Authorities warn that counterfeit drugs and unsafe food products pose serious risks to public health, weaken trust in the healthcare system, and threaten economic stability.

Kano’s strategic position as a commercial centre has made it a hotspot for the distribution of such products, raising concerns among regulators and health officials.

What’s being said

The NAFDAC DG outlined the mandate of the task force to include intelligence gathering, surveillance, enforcement operations, seizure of illegal products, and prosecution of offenders.

Kano State Secretary to the Government, Umar Ibrahim, said the initiative is timely, citing rising drug abuse, especially among youths, as a growing social concern.

“Recent reports of families seeking rehabilitation for their children reflect the urgent need to disrupt supply chains of fake drugs and unwholesome products across the state,” he said.

Chairman of the task force, Kamilu Mudi-Salisu, pledged commitment to the assignment and urged residents to report suspicious activities.

What’s next

The task force is expected to begin immediate operations, including raids, inspections, and enforcement actions across Kano State.

Authorities also plan to intensify public awareness campaigns to discourage the distribution and consumption of counterfeit products.

Bottom line

NAFDAC’s new task force signals a stronger crackdown on fake drugs and unsafe products in Kano, as authorities move to safeguard public health and restore confidence in regulated goods.