ABUJA, Nigeria — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has called for the death penalty for individuals involved in peddling fake and substandard drugs, arguing that such acts are as lethal as direct violence.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, February 7, 2025, NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye emphasised that no punishment is too severe for those who knowingly distribute counterfeit medicines, particularly when their actions result in the deaths of children.
Adeyeye cited real-life cases where substandard drugs led to fatalities, reinforcing the urgent need for stricter penalties.
“Somebody bought children’s medicine for N13,000 or something like that, another person was selling about N3,000 in the same mall,” she said.
“That raised an alarm. Guess what? There was nothing inside that medicine when we tested it in our Kaduna lab.”
Condemning the lethal impact of counterfeit medicine, she argued:
“I want the death penalty. Because you don’t need to put a gun on the head of a child before you kill that child. Just give that child bad medicine.”
A Call for Legislative and Judicial Support
Adeyeye urged the National Assembly and the judiciary to support NAFDAC’s push for stiffer legal consequences against fake drug peddlers.
“You cannot fight substandard, falsified medicine in isolation,” she stated. “The agency can do as much as it can, but if there is no deterrent, there’s going to be a problem.”
She referenced a case involving the smuggling of 225mg of Tramadol, a highly potent and brain-damaging opioid, where the perpetrator was handed a mere five-year prison sentence or a N250,000 fine.
“Who doesn’t know that that person will go to the ATM and get N250,000? That is part of our problem,” she lamented.
Challenges in Enforcing Drug Regulations
Adeyeye acknowledged that NAFDAC faces staffing and funding challenges that limit its capacity to effectively combat fake drug distribution.
“With about 2,000 staff members nationwide and limited funding, NAFDAC is constrained in carrying out its activities,” she said.
“We are short-staffed, and I am hoping things will be better.”
Despite these challenges, she assured the public that NAFDAC is working closely with the National Assembly to implement stricter penalties, ensuring that those responsible for fake drugs face serious legal consequences.
Public Health Crisis and the Need for Reform
Nigeria has long struggled with the circulation of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, with millions of lives at risk due to ineffective or harmful medications.
Experts warn that unless stronger legal frameworks are enacted, the fight against fake drugs and illegal pharmaceuticals will remain an uphill battle.
For now, NAFDAC’s demand for the death penalty is set to spark a national debate on drug policy, public safety, and the ethics of capital punishment.
