Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has sounded the alarm over threats to her life and the safety of agency staff, urging authorities to ensure their protection as they carry out high-risk operations.
Speaking at a State House briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Prof. Adeyeye also called for the death penalty for individuals involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit and substandard drugs in Nigeria.
She disclosed that NAFDAC had recently seized illicit pharmaceuticals valued at over ₦1 trillion in a large-scale operation targeting fake and expired medical products. According to her, enforcement efforts led to the confiscation of 87 truckloads of banned and substandard drugs, including antiretroviral medications, male and female condoms, and other compromised medical supplies donated by USAID and UNFPA.
The operation, described as the biggest in NAFDAC’s history, was carried out in three major open drug markets:
- Ariaria and Eziukwu Markets (Aba, Abia State)
- Bridge Head Market (Onitsha, Anambra State)
Prof. Adeyeye revealed that staff members have been subjected to threats, including kidnapping attempts.
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“I spoke about an attempted murder six months ago. One of our staff members in Kano had his child kidnapped because he was simply doing his job. Thankfully, the child managed to escape,” she recounted.
“For my own safety, I have two policemen stationed at my home 24/7 in both Abuja and Lagos. I no longer have a normal life—I can’t go anywhere without security escorts. That’s not how I want to live, but I have no choice. We must save our country.”
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