The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has discovered and raided an illicit drug factory in Delta State owned by Ekene Igwe, one of the major traders at Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Drug Market, Onitsha, Anambra State.
The fake factory is located in a three-story uncompleted building belonging to Ekene Igwe, a fake drug producer, now at large
The Agency arrested Blessing Igwe, the wife of the fake producer, and seized illicit drugs and injectables produced in the factory
The building is located at Azagba Ogwashi near Issele-Azagba in Delta State Capital Territory. The ground floor is used as the factory for the production of the illicit drugs and injectables, as well as a residential apartment.
Babatunji Omoyeni in charge of NAFDAC Investigative and Enforcement of Federal Taskforce for South-South and South-East, took his team and journalists to the fake factory on Tuesday where Blessing, the wife of the prime suspect, was arrested.
The prime suspect is now at large but the team also profiled some other occupants of the uncompleted building.
According to Omoyeni, the Agency had successfully tracked a drug shop at Ogbo-Ogwu , Bridge Head market, in Onitsha where illicit drugs produced are sold to unsuspecting buyers.
He disclosed that the seizures at the illicit drugs factory included a big drum containing vials soaked in liquid substance, adulterated drugs, rebranded expired drugs 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.
He said the Agency recorded the breakthrough following a tip off from concerned members of the public
He noted that efforts had been intensified to track the prime suspect, adding that the arrested wife of the culprit would be arraigned before a competent Court for trial and prosecution over her level of involvement in the illicit drug business.
Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director for South East Zone, revealed that the said the building used for the illicit drug manufacturing and relabelling of expired drugs would be sealed off.
He expressed sadness for the country and the kinds of things that are playing out.
“Only God knows how many people that have died 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.
The prime suspect at large is one of the major traders at Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head drug market in Onitsha whom has been in this illicit drug business.
“What these drug merchants have done since they knew that Ogbo- Ogwu Market is no longer safe for their illicit drug business, they have moved out to neighbouring places like Asaba in uncompleted buildings, relabelling injectables that expired far back seven years ago
“‘This issue of illicit drug business has been on for several years, and there has not been any 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 said.
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