The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arraigned three persons and a company over alleged manufacturing and selling of counterfeit drugs in Kano.
The defendants are Amao Gideon, Alumona Okwudila and Hillary Chigozie with the compony, Giddyson Health care Limited.
The suspects were charged on a five-count charge bothering on manufacturing, sale and distribution of substandard and falsified medicines.
Prosecution counsel, Oche Abutu, esq, told the court that the suspects manufactured Asian Ampicillin 125mg + Cloxacillin 125mg/5ml powder (oral suspension for children), Asian Ampicillin 125mg/5ml suspension powder(for children), Erythromycin 125 mg/5ml powder (suspension for children), Artil-Go (Artemether 20 mg+ Lumefantrine1 20 mg/5ml) powder for suspension for children, all without active ingredients.
He said the offence contradicts Section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs law punishable under Section 3(1a).
When the charges was read to them, the suspects pleaded not guilty.
However, counsels to the defendants E. N Ogbu, Usman Ashafa and M.S. Waziri applied for the court to grant them bail.
The presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda ordered that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional facility and adjourned the case to 14th June, 2024.
Shortly after the adjournment, Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, told journalists via zoom that there was no trace of medicine in the formulations when the medicines were tested from the Kaduna Laboratory of agency.
She highlighted that their actions puts the patients in danger of treatment failure and possible death.
“In addition, the products were not registered by NAFDAC, the numbers on the products are fake, and so is the manufacturer’s address on the label.
“The illegal factory, located in Tafa town and Tafa local government, Niger state has been sealed. Their illicit trade was uncovered following information and discrete investigation that led to their arrest,” she stated.
Prof. Adeyeye however restated the agency’s commitment in ridding the society of falsified and substandard products and called on Nigerian to report any suspicious product around them.