A joint operation between the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Borno State Ministry of Health has led to the seizure of unsafe drugs valued at millions of naira in the Gamboru area of Maiduguri. The drugs, stored in neglected warehouses and damaged by recent floods, were confiscated to prevent their sale and distribution.
The raid, conducted on Wednesday, was led by Borno State Commissioner of Health, Baba Malam Gana, and NAFDAC’s North-East Director, Kenneth Azikiwe. The operation followed the directive of NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Christiana Mojisola Adeyeye, aiming to avert a public health emergency.
Azikiwe warned that the compromised drugs pose serious risks and urged the public to report any attempts to sell or sun-dry the damaged medicines. Gana emphasized the need for proper drug storage and assured that the state government would take action to prevent unsafe practices in the future.
In light of the financial losses suffered by business owners, Gana assured that both the federal and state governments would offer assistance, referencing President Bola Tinubu’s recent pledge to support flood victims in Borno, including those in the Gamboru market.
The Chairman of the Gamboru Medicine Market, Bukar Modu, expressed the market’s commitment to cooperating with the government to ensure public safety, while also seeking financial support to recover from the losses.